Eternal Enchantment
by Chameleon Eyes
Summary: The roads of life are strewn with the wreckage of run-down, half-finished loves. Since the beginning, Link and Zelda have loved each other. Their roles in the protection of the Triforce prevents their love to prevail. When Link betrays the Goddesses and the land of Hyrule, divine retribution intervenes. He will forever remember his beloved, eternally enchanted by her mere existence
1. Prologue

_The roads of life are strewn with the wreckage of run-down, half-finished loves_~ Ralph W. Sockman

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**Eternal Enchantment**

_by Chameleon Eyes_

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**~ Prologue ~**

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A terrified weeping came from within the cathedral. Its circular structure echoed the soft sobs throughout the domed roof and into the inky night sky. Vast shadows covered the absent light from the new moon. Darkness surrounded the weeping woman, its shadowy wisps seeping through the cracks of the ruined roof of the cathedral and into the pitch-black room. She couldn't see anything in front of her, save for the small light source which she gripped fearfully, as if the light would bloom with morbid compression and consume the darkness around her. It was a white bow, golden carvings imbedded into intricate designs, the sculpted outlines blazing through the caliginous chamber. The weapon was her only sacred salvation and sanctuary from whatever was with her. She felt an evil presence and never felt so alone. She was frightened of what lurked in the shadows and even more frightened at its materialization, for her heart unconsciously knew what was with her.

The paranoia which seized her grew as she faintly distinguished a pair of vivid scarlet eyes growing larger as it neared her. She held back her sobbing and prepared to strike, her bow perched in her shaking arms and her arrows placed in her lap.

With sudden movement, its face emerged itself within inches of hers, its dark apparel blending in with the background. Except for those eyes. Those horribly mesmerizing eyes bleed into the darkness. They petrified her, immobilizing her ability to move or to think. As it inspected her closely, she recognized the facial features of the monster with intimacy. Her stomach twisted as she swallowed painfully.

_Zelda…_ it rasped. She detected his voice's undertone within the brutally deformed articulation. _Join me…_

His hand gently reached out, and she swatted it away, screaming. Her own piercing shrieks were just enough to snap out of her stupor, and her tattered skirts flared around her as she quickly evaded possible encounters. The last thing she wanted to see was its face, reminding her of what it once was and who she loved. The memories of the terrible errors she had done to make him succumb into dark deeds and evil influences and into his own demise, ultimately leading to hers; she was her own cause to her own inevitable destruction.

She blindly ran with her dark thoughts into the darkness, her tears blurring any visual she had, and rammed into a dead end. Her heart plummeted into an abyss as she acknowledged defeat. Her head cowed, she turned towards him, sensing his dark presence fused behind her.

Despite the defeated feeling gnawing at her, she still had hope, and clutched an arrow, hiding the long shaft behind her forearm and within the dangling sleeves of her dress.

He approached her now, and she tensed. Her muscles were springs ready to leap into action, and she made her mind defensive as she heard his voice beginning to speak.

_With the combined Triforces of power, wisdom and courage, we can have our heart's desires. _He neared her, and she averted his demonic gaze. _And what it desires is you, and only you. _His eerily pitch-black fingers caressed her cheek, her fear rising as his warm breath breezed near her ear, blowing aside her tangled locks. Her heart jumped to her throat as she ignored the horrid sensation coursing through her veins. The humming of a memory threatened to emerge at his touch, but she did not want to feel anything towards this monster. She gulped down the feeling with restraint and forced the arrow forward. _That's not him, _she assured herself, painfully shutting her eyes. _You _must_ do it; it's for the better. _

As his body entwined with hers, he gave a low moan as a sudden feeling of pain erupted from the bottom of his abdomen. He pulled away, revealing a light arrow emitting its radiance and expending his darkness. The pain distracted his reasoning, and he snapped with flared anger, directing its impact on her.

A sickening crack reverberated, followed by a tormented wail.

She crumpled to the floor, her fair hair matted with trickling red. The blood freed flowingly, and she felt her life's essence escape rapidly. Her worried eyes gazed into the sky dully, longingly; she wanted the pain to cease.

He was by her side immediately, ignoring his own pain as he held her body with tender care.

She looked at him now, overcoming his dark apparel, and smiled weakly at him. She had no strength for words, so she grasped his corrupted mind, ignoring its conflicting conscious.

_I love you_, she blatantly lamented_. It took me so long to say it, and now that I realize it, there's no hope for any of that love. _

His eyes bored into hers, the red bleeding into a phosphorescent blue as tears leaked from his glowing face. The single light arrow had begun to tinge the rest of his darkness into his former appearance. He ignored the tingling feeling as it dispersed gradually.

He studied her deathlike face; those eyes animated with fierce emotion held the little life that she had left, eager to descant her wrongdoings she committed to him. He welcomed her telepathy into his mind, for it would be the last time he would hear her flute-like voice, playing a requiem specifically for him.

_I'm sorry…_was all she said, before he felt her mind vacate his, as her life force extinguished and left this world. The arrows and bow that hung loosely on her small frame had faded its light as well, for the magic that maintained the spell left with its caster. It faded until he was left nothing but darkness, and the single, small, light arrow that continued to grow, depleting his evil.

Remorse ate away at his heart accompanied with anger and self-hate. There was nothing he could do, but kneel there, and cry as he silently heard his heart shatter into millions of pieces for the second time.

The path that he took was wrong, and he vowed to make it right. By defeating the very man who forced corruption upon his weak state caused by jilt, he would gain vengeance.

Weakened by the light arrow, he was driven by enormous anger. He gritted his teeth as he climbed the flights of stairs leading to Ganondorf's tower. Each step was like another arrow jabbed into his wound, each step was another step to vengeance, and each step made him feel weaker. He placed his hand upon the wound to stop the flow of blood and felt dizziness cloud his mind. Still, he gripped the Master Sword in his left hand and carried his shield on his back, not minding the extra weight of the valuable items that would help defeat Ganondorf.

He opened the door at the top of the stairs, and peered in, analyzing the surroundings. It was a large tower room, sparsely furnished, and the metal bars of the windows gave the cold room a prisonlike feel. He was glad. The man who resided here must be contained within these stone walls. He eyed the black-clad figure staring out into a nearby window, watching the grey clouds float above the dull landscape. He fiercely charged because he was angry at the man's peaceful stance. Because the man did not deserve to stand there unscathed and calm, for the man's mood was amiss for someone who was so morbid and power-hungry. Because, in a way, he _killed _her. Killed his only love. His only hope.

The sound of metal on metal crashed through the air, and his arm was rebounded by the sudden force of the gauntlet which blocked the intended harm.

"You have killed her, you fool," Ganondorf spat. "I needed her to complete the formation of the Triforce. Now she is gone and my dream is a failure." He rose out of his chair to his full height, towering the younger man, but his tallness did not intimidate him. He only felt more anger coursing through his blood.

"I see that she has cleansed you from my doing. No longer Dark Link, but feeble, pitying Link. The poor forest boy once again." He smiled. "Why would you trade immense power to be an inadequate do-gooder? There is no gain for you."

"No," he shouted, angrily. "That's where you are wrong!"

Link pounced on him once again, his silver blade shining in the gentle candle light, paving its path towards the sneer on Ganondorf's face. He evaded it at the last moment, swift on his feet for a man so large, and landed behind his attacker. Link swivelled on his heel to face him, wincing at the sudden movement, and clutched his hand to his stomach. The tormented yelp caught the older man's attention. He analyzed the damage of the wound, still seeping with dark fluid, and realized that his opponent was weak. Weak and courageous, his bravery tainted by his stupidity for love and vengeful anger.

"A fatal wound. Are you sure you should be fighting in such a state?" Ganondorf mockingly asked, a sly smile playing about his thin lips. "Have you ever thought of the consequences of fighting in emotion? Of hate and love? Such pitiful passion clouds reasoning and judgement. Your presumptuous hits will be inaccurate."

The response was a painful grunt as Link swung his sword high into the air, and crashed down like a heavy waterfall, its steel sloppily missing black armour by inches. More blood escaped from his wound, leaving a darker stain on his tunic. He clutched it in agony, gritting his teeth as a cold sweat shined on his forehead.

"Such a shame. You were to be my prodigy. My faithful servant. After all my training, this is what I get. Foolhardy footwork, defective swordplay…ultimate betrayal." He waved his hand at each example, his mouth a contemptuous frown. "What is it that makes you switch sides so easily? One minute you are working for me, the next you are flashing sword and shield on my person. What have I ever done to you? I taught you the utmost power!"

Link started gasping for air, kneeling before his former master. It hurt to stand upright, it hurt to breath, it hurt to hear such unkind words which brought back so many painful memories of his betrayal to Zelda, to the goddesses, and to the land of Hyrule. He paled and averted eye contact, staring at the Master Sword's hilt, which he heavily leaned on. He folded his hands on the hilt and felt shame for holding something so unworthy of his grip.

"You've taught me nothing, nothing but _evil_. Evil and corruption! You forced me on your side due to my vulnerability of heartache and hardship," he looked up and began to rise on his feet. "I know now that I was mistaken. I have come here to correct my wrongdoing. To defeat you and banish you from this world forever!"

A flash of pain erupted from his cheek, knocking him down to the cold, hard ground with a muffled _thud_. Bright light blurred Link's vision as he registered at what had happened. Temporary numbness on his cheek transitioned into a stinging sensation. He put his hand to his face and felt warm liquid on his fingers. He stared up to a face that represented pure evil, a scowl that filled his heart with terrifying despair.

"You _fool,_" the ugly mouth spat, "you think you can defeat me in a state such as that? Your brave actions will be remembered with stupidity. I shall kill you and release your worthless soul from this world forever. I, not _you_, will be doing the bloodshed today." He unsheathed his sword and prepared to strike, his eyes and mouth grinning widely in sadistic excitement.

With fatigue, Link managed to retrieve his shield from his back and placed it in front of his chest, right before the sword pierced his skin. The blade rebounded off of it, making a loud clanging noise as Ganondorf released a shout of fury. Before he could react and attack again, Link rolled away from his spot and clumsily stood up, despite his wound rapidly becoming larger at the strenuous activity. He stood there proudly, calm in the face of death, his sword and shield glowing in the warm light of the torches.

Furious at his missed strike, Ganondorf charged and Link evaded the cold steel swiftly. What felt like an eternity, Ganondorf swung his blade constantly at Link who did nothing but dodge. He was searching for an opening to strike at the heart of Ganondorf. It would end him; Ganondorf's demise would gain the peace that Link sought.

When the opportunity emerged, he took the chance. Despite his fragility and fatigue, he ushered all his hatred, regret and loving vengeance towards his final strike, empowering his muscles to contract and to push the heavy blade into its target.

The blade hit nothing.

He felt the steel cut through the air and find its way to the hard ground. The wielder ensued, crashing down onto the cold floor, winded. He felt faint and weak from his fall, black spots clouded his vision and his surroundings seemed to pale like his clammy skin. He moaned at the effort to get up, and laid there, curling within himself to contain the little warmth he had.

"Look who's so brave now, _Hero," _a distant voice said. It was faint and echoing, as if it came from the other end of a tunnel. He struggled to see where it was coming from, but it hurt to move. "I think I will leave you here to die. My fine blade is too worthy to pierce your foul skin and spill that dishonourable blood."

He heard footsteps echo in the distance. He saw black boots leave a trail of blood as it exited the wooden door. And he saw red spill out in the floor beside him. _Is that…is that _my _blood…?_

He numbly stared at the increasing dark liquid. He felt no anger, no hate, no purpose; he felt nothing but a strange sense of serenity that submerged within him. He was dying, and he knew it. He embraced it with opened arms, contented with the thought that he tried to undo everything that he had done so wrong in this life. He greeted death pleasantly, calmly acknowledging his end as his life's essence gradually flowed from him. He breathed slowly, ignoring the pain that was so prominent a few hours—no, _minutes_ — before. He saw a bright light, and his mind went blank.

He opened his eyes and squinted immediately. Bright light surrounded him, illuminating a wide span of the flat ground and cloudless sky, which seemed to collide fluidly. It was as if he was in the middle of the blue ocean and underneath the opened sky, except everything was pure white with tints of soft, creamy yellows. The colours filled his very soul with belonging and tranquility. He looked at his hands. The blood was gone and his apparel was no longer dirtied, his wound was healed and there was no indication that he had ever been stabbed.

He began to wander amongst his new environment, in awe and understanding of his purpose, of his lives and of his worlds. He was one with the nature of time.

Before he could walk farther, three golden apparitions appeared before him, growing larger and illuminating more light as they became opaque. They were all identical in appearance, sculpted like golden figures of women, except their eyes and long hair were of varying colours. Vivid red, blue, and green eyes stared back at him; their matching hairs did not blow in the still breeze. The goddess in the centre spoke first, her hair and eyes a fiery blaze. She carried the atmosphere of power, and looked down upon him.

"Din, Nayru, Farore," he murmured.

_Young hero, you have failed us. _Her voice was quiet yet felt loud, and her lips did not articulate. _It was your duty to protect the princess, and ultimately protect the Triforce. You have failed in this task through betrayal and falling under Ganondorf's rule. His corruption has sent you into evil's descent, killing the wielder of the Triforce of Wisdom and the descendant of the Goddess Hylia. Her death was untimely; she had many expectations to fulfil before your betrayal. _

He noticed another ghostly figure materialize. Unlike the goddesses before him, she was translucent and was to scale with him, and a lingering shine served as her shadow. The light shadow, he realized, was the Goddess Hylia carefully listening to their conversation. She didn't wish to be in her true form, thus her mortal form was present. She was dressed in a simple white dress that flowed behind her, her platinum blond hair falling below her waist. Her head was cowed and she averted his eyes.

The goddess to her left spoke, her shining blue eyes boring into his. Nayru's voice was sweet and kind, similar to his beloved. She was the Goddess of Wisdom and regarded him critically without bias.

_Despite this fault, we cannot punish you drastically. It was the first time that you unexpectedly betrayed your purpose, threatening peace, balance and prosperity, and the very existence of this world. However, divine retribution must take place to ensure that you will not repeat this mistake. _She regarded the small figure beside him. _What say you, Goddess Hylia? _

"I do not wish to partake in this sentencing," she choked painfully, surprisingly emotional compared to her reserved counterparts. "Decide on what deems fit without me." She looked away, struggling to keep the tears from falling.

He moved to touch her hand as a compassionate reassurance. She flinched at his touch, and a pain of repentance flickered through his eyes at the subtle movement. Embarrassed, the two looked in opposite directions, pretending the occurrence did not occur while deep, personal thoughts flitted through their minds of each other.

Farore's green eyes regarded the interaction and she spoke without hesitance. _Chain the Hero to the Princess of Destiny for all eternity. This will ensure absolute intolerance to betrayal. _

_They are already bonded through the Triforce, _Din spoke.

_Not an emotional attachment, _Nayru replied._ It was love that brought reason back to the Hero's heart and urged him to complete his task. The light arrow itself did not bring all the darkness out, for his heart's desire contributed to the banishment of its foulness. _

_There is no punishment for love. It is a blessing many do not experience._

_My sister, _Nayru said, _love can be a blessing and a curse. Being loved and loving can make the heart soar, but there can be heartache and suffering by various means. If the Hero is in love with the Princess of Destiny for their future lifetimes, it will ensure his utmost devotion towards her and the protection of the Triforce._

_Very well, _Din spoke._ As punishment, the Hero will know of this sentence at adolescence while the Princess shall be unaware. Her response will be undetermined; it is entirely up to her to decide whether to reciprocate or to reject his enchanted affections. Nonetheless, his devotion will always triumph. _

He accepted this calmly, and nodded at her decision. There was no denying the fact that his love had prevailed in a time of chaos and confusion, and his love was what steered him towards his purpose. He stared at his beloved now, and felt inferior to her. Her beauty, her position as a goddess and a princess made him feel worthless to her affections. She stared back at him, and gave him a small smile, her eyes strangely sad.

_You must not tell her of her past, _Nayru added. _She will become insane as punishment for neglecting this one simple rule, and you will suffer terrible anguish. _

She looked back up to the three shining Goddesses and solemnly nodded. "I understand that I will never know of this fate that has bestowed upon us," she turned to Link. "But I am determined that this is for the better, and I now knowingly accept this new bond. I hope you understand as well, and I sincerely apologize for the future rejections by me." She abruptly turned away from him, not wanting to delve deeper into a relationship that would disappear in the next lifetime. "When shall we reincarnate?"

The Goddesses Farore and Nayru bent down and extended their palms towards them.

_A single touch is all you need to receive our blessings and go onto the next life. _

He was afraid. Deeply afraid. Afraid of falling in love with her all over again, afraid of her rejections and afraid of his outrageous responses to her very existence. He shied away from the golden hand, not wanting to repeat heartache for all eternity. The princess looked at him courageously, and grasped his left hand.

"Do it for me, Link," she murmured. "Don't forget that I'll always love you, no matter what."

Still holding hands, they simultaneously touched the fingertips of the Goddesses of Courage and Wisdom as bright light engulfed them.

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Sooo...

This is an old story. I'm reviving it. I originally wrote this in the summer of 2014. Onwards from Chapter 6 is currently written stuff. Enjoy!


	2. Chapter 1: Lost in Nightmares

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**_Lost in Nightmares_**

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_In the open field, underneath a dark sky, stood a little girl. She was alone. Looking frantically about, she was searching for something – someone? It was useless. She could hardly see through the thick clouds of snow that swirled around her. _

_"Mama? Papa?" she cried. _

_There was no noise except for the howling wind, its shrieks carrying the cries of pandemonium. Her voice blended in with the rest - lonely, anxious, forgotten. She looked behind her and saw a soft, orange glow. _Fire. _The town and her home were in flames. Her parents had told her to run. But to where? Where could she possibly go?_ _Everything she knew was in ashes._

_And so she ran. She ran wherever her feet commanded her. She ran blindly through a dark tunnel. She ran out into the fresh air. The air stinking of burning bodies and charcoal. The dark smoke rising high into the black sky, like a dark cloud blotting out the stars' shine. She wanted to leave the stench, to leave the horrible screaming behind her. But she wanted her parents. And her parents were back at home and they told her to run._

_"Run, just _run_!" _

_"We'll find you. We promise_._" _

_The last words of her parents brought her close to tears. Freezing and remembering their desperation, she urged herself to tread through the thick snow. It tugged around her feet not wanting her to move forward. She fought vigorously against it, ignoring the numbing cold that bit her legs and soaked through her thin, silken dress. Her slipper caught against a buried tree root and she fell face first into the snow. Coldness greeted her senses strongly and she bolted upright at its fierce bite. _

_Crimson red eyes greeted her. She was too numb to scream, too scared to react. She simply stared wide-eyed, speechless._

_"Hello, child." She tore her gaze off of the stranger's brilliant eyes and saw that she was a young woman. Short bangs, white as the snow, framed her sharp face and her longer locks whipped in the wind like a sail on a boat. She had never seen someone with such a startling appearance before. "Are you all right?" _

_Too frightened to reply, she backed away from the crouched woman, ignoring the cold seeping through her exposed fingers. She didn't get far._

_"Don't be frightened. You can trust me." The woman reached into a leather satchel and brought out a golden necklace. "See?" _

_The girl stopped struggling and peered. In the woman's hands sat a simple gold chain with a triangular pendant shining in the moonlight. It was her mother's necklace. A family heirloom. She cautiously crawled to the stranger. They sat together in the snow. With shaking fingers, she grabbed the necklace and a triangular shine flashed on the back of her right hand, cutting through the dark storm. With care, the little girl placed it around her neck. The woman's eyes widened with amazement until the light faded, revealing a peculiar looking birthmark. It was three triangles in the form of one. The girl looked up into the stranger's eyes and smiled._

_"I'm Impa," the woman said. "Come along. I know a safe place." _

_She took the girl's hand. Together, they walked away from the burning light and into the shadows. _

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"Zelda."

"Zelda!"

"_Zelda—!" _

"Mmphh? What is it?" I mumbled, slowly opening my eyes. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Impa's red eyes glaring at me. She hadn't aged a day since we first met eleven years ago. I glared back and returned to my sleeping position, facing the wall and snuggling a warm quilt. I was in deep sleep, a result of sneaking out the night before, and wasn't ready to get up. "Go away."

"It's six in the morning! Get up! Haven't you been listening to me yesterday?"

"To be honest, I was busy."

"You can listen _and _practice magic at the same time, you know?"

Suddenly, a cold draft hovered over my body and I shivered, grabbing for my beloved blanket. My fingertips brushed against the air and landed onto the mattress. Confused at its absence, I turned over and saw Impa tackling the quilt into neat little folds.

"You're running the inn yourself today, young lady. I'm heading into Hecta's to buy new gloves before yours turn into strips."

I groaned. "We never get any customers! What's the point?"

"Remember to wear your gloves. I don't want anyone seeing your birthmark."

I looked at my right hand and sighed. My birthmark is a wonder and it used to upset me that I couldn't show it to others. Now, I viewed it as a curse. A curse to cover up in ugly looking gloves. A bizarre thing that glowed randomly at times. Even if I covered it with normal gloves, my birthmark seemed to imprint itself into the fabric. There was so much hassle over it that Impa had to go to a specific shop out in the middle of nowhere to purchase enchanted gloves. It was something I grew to dislike over the years. Too bad I can't wash it off like a simple stain.

"Make sure you get decent looking ones." I replied. "I'll take care of the inn."

"Do you know what to do?"

"Please, give me some credit. I'm not a little kid anymore!" She just raised an eyebrow at my remark. I scoffed. "Go to the counter for customers. If they want bed, I'll give them a key. If they want food, I'll show them a table. I'll cook whatever they request on the menu. I'll take care of their horses and clean up after the customers."

"You're forgetting something…"

"What?"

"Zelda, you're a young woman now and these are tough times. If a man tries to—"

"Impa!" My face reddened. "I'll attack them! You taught me a few moves. I can use those."

"Don't use any magic."

Magic has been forbidden ever since the tyrant Ganondorf came into power. _He_ was the only one who could use magic, and he prosecuted anyone who was rumoured to practice it or publicly committed the act. Which is why I practiced in a hidden room, only when there weren't any customers around. I could never get enough of it, though, so I occasionally snuck out at night to practice in secluded areas. Like the forest out back, behind the stables.

"I'm not _that_ reckless." I said, pouncing off the bed and walking towards the wardrobe. "Go on, Impa. You have nothing to worry about. See? I'm up and about and ready for a boring day."

She handed me a wooden bow and a quiver of arrows. I looked up questioningly. "You'll have to hunt. We're out of stock. I forgot to tell you. Don't worry," she added. "Customers usually arrive in the evenings. Go get some deer and a few rabbits. There's a wooden wagon for any heavy game you catch near the stables."

"Really!? I get to hunt? _Alone?_"

"Of course. You're sixteen. People usually hunt by themselves at fourteen around these areas."

"I'm well aware of that."

She laughed. "I can't _always_ spoil your fun. Hopefully your 'boring day' will be exciting."

Knowing that Impa didn't like physical affection, I restrained my hugs and smiled widely instead.

"Take care," she hovered near the door. "I'll be back in the evening."

Without hesitation, I pulled off my white chemise and tugged on my brown trousers, a tunic and sturdy leather boots. I glanced at the mirror and crossed my arms at the reflection. I never liked my appearance—the silvery, wavy hair that fell to my waist, the wide blue eyes and smooth marble skin, the tiny doll-like frame that hid beneath loose clothes—all of it was too dainty and fair maiden for someone who liked to ride their horse, hunt, and practice combat. It also attracted a lot of unwanted attention. I didn't like being noticed and watched like an object of desire. It made me nervous.

I looked at my birthmark, which was beginning to glow faintly, and grumbled. There were some flaws with me, ones that I unappreciatively acknowledge. Reluctantly, I opened a drawer and pulled on my thinning gloves. They were a hideous fit. Impa had previously chosen me a fingerless, grey material as my permanent second skin. She never allowed me to go to Hecta's because it was risky business attending prohibited shops.

"Lupa!" I called.

The echo of claws clacking on the wooden floor vibrated throughout the hallway. A light grey snout protruded from the threshold and pushed the door open. Curious blue eyes looked up excitedly. She saw me in my hunting gear, which meant only one thing, and began to wag her tail vigorously.

"Who's wants to go for a hunt?" She hopped onto me—all giant paws and heavy weight—nearly knocking me over. "Calm down, Lupa!"

We bounded down the stairs, through the small hallway, into the plain lobby and out the front door. The autumn's beautiful atmosphere greeted me immediately. A chilly breeze gently swayed the treetops, hints of the rising sun's orange glow hiding behind the golden leaves. Its warmth hit my skin as the breeze pushed the shadows and cold away. I grinned, squinting against the rays of soft light, and started towards the stables.

It was a shanty piece of wood, and Impa had always made promises to improve its design from few customer complaints. She never satisfied their wishes because they would never visit the inn again and hardly anyone had a horse. Horses were too expensive to buy and were even more expensive to keep, but there was the occasional rich, snooty merchant who had one. We used the stables as a sort of shack. It was empty, dusty, dark and smelled like old hay. Its only occupants were tools and the rickety wagon we dragged along for big hunting trips, hoping for a large deer to bring home and last our hungry stomachs for a week. The only horse that inhabited it was our chestnut mare, which Impa rode with to Hecta's.

I hauled the wagon out of the dank stables, Lupa following me at the heels, and treaded towards the back. The wagon was Impa's as a little girl, and it was worn, old and had a little tilt as it was pulled across the damp forest ground. I was thankful it didn't make any noise. That would just scare game away.

The autumn air was crisp and cool; my misty breath curled up and vanished into it as I wandered through the woods. They were vast lands filled with a variety of vegetation. Here and there were small bushes and firs, oaks, and birch trees shading the large mushrooms growing out of the autumn's rotting leaves. My feet crunched on them as Lupa travelled forward with her snout on the ground, occasionally stopping to sniff the air. Suddenly, with a burst of speed, she ran. I followed silently, leaping over logs and evading the snap of twigs.

The trees blurred by as I dodged the ones in front of me. The part of forest I was in was densely packed and flat, my field of vision obscured by the veil of trees and the fog that was setting in. Lupa's white tail flashed behind a large trunk skirting the edge of the fog and vanished into the unknown.

"Lupa! Wait up!" I called. She usually slowed down for me when I was behind. I ran to where she was last, certain that she would be there, but she hadn't left a trace. "Lupa! Where are you? Be a good girl—"

A loud growl burst within the grey haze.

"Lupa…?

A snarl replied. Glistening yellow eyes pierced through the fog. I instantly snatched the bow off my back and fumbled for an arrow. The floating eyes came closer and closer, circling around me. I could hear the rumbling of its growl, the treading of its paws and my own pulse beating rapidly and loudly. It pounced out of the fog, displaying fangs and large claws, and my hands finally grasped a shaft in my quiver. I whipped it out, attempting to insert it into my bow, but was knocked back by strong force. Foul breath and hot air encased my face and I felt large weight on my shoulders, the pain setting in from the heaviness and the sharp claws that dug into my flesh. With my legs I started to kick it off me, but it pinned its claws into my thighs and I screamed in agony, struggling to keep the wolf's fangs away from my face. My strength was of no match to this beast and required both hands to stop it from tearing my throat. I eyed the dropped arrow and bow. _It's so close…_

Deciding to risk it, I let my strong arm hold the beast back and swiftly flung my left hand towards the arrow. My fingers weren't even close to it. My eyes widened in shock as I felt the arm holding the wolf give way. Adrenaline quickly forced my left hand to return to its place beneath the wolf's throat. I couldn't hold out much longer. I was trapped beneath the wolf that was stronger and had an advantage.

Suddenly, a flash of white streaked by and knocked the wolf off me. Black and white shapes tangled on the ground, their movements aggressive and swift, their snarls intimidating and loud. I grabbed the bow and arrow, drew it, aimed at the black wolf, and fired. A yelp erupted through the forest. A strange silence fell.

Lupa limped towards me, her coat trickling with bright red, and whimpered.

"Oh, no." I knelt down and assessed her injuries. Her front paw was bleeding heavily and a few minor bites and scratches laid on her stomach. I picked her up with effort and carried her to the forgotten wagon.

These woods weren't safe anymore. The last time I had been here was in the spring when little birds chirped and majestic deer pranced around underneath the green light of the leaves. What happened? Wolves never resided here; the farmers and hunters drove them away into the mountain forests. Where did that wolf come from? Why did it attack?

Lupa's growl interrupted my thoughts. I glanced at her. Her lips parted into a snarl and her hair stood on end. Glowing eyes appeared before us and I reloaded my bow, drawing it towards them. Without hesitance, I fired and missed, the yellow eyes dancing towards the right. I reloaded again and fired at where it would dodge to. It yelped as the arrow pierced through its chest. More eyes appeared. There were at least twenty of them. One pair of eyes caught me off guard. It contained an intellectual glint and floated higher than the others, glowing a magnificent green. When its owner emerged, I nearly dropped my weapon. It was tall—at least six feet—and stood on hind legs, its muscular arms hanging above ground and possessing great claws. _Wolfos_. A mythological horror.

I immediately grabbed the wagon and ran the opposite direction. I didn't know where I was going. I didn't know where I would end up. All I wanted to do was get away from that _monster._ I wanted to be safe. I wanted to survive.

Instinct had urged me to run, and so I ran. I ran through the dense fog, reacting quickly to trees and low branches that appeared suddenly before me. I weaved through the forest, ignoring the pain that throbbed on my thighs and shoulders, ignoring the ache of pulling heavy weight. I desperately tried to ignore the intimidating rustle of leaves and growls behind me, but I was well aware of their proximity.

I looked back quickly and saw that the wolfos was gaining speed. No one can outrun a wolfos. I was lucky enough to still be alive up to this point considering my injuries and limited vision. My death was inevitable, no matter how hard I tried to get away from it, it was chasing me and it would tackle me. I would have a gruesome death in the middle of dark forest; my remains would be eaten by wolves. It would be as if I never existed.

My birthmark suddenly gave light. It expanded like an exploding sun, consuming everything in its path in solid white. It made the wolfos whimper and the noisy pursuit behind me ceased. The light blinded me and for a second I thought I might have died. A large branch flew at my face and I felt a brief pain before the whiteness turned into black.

* * *

"_Stay away from her!" A low voice shot out. It came from a boy about seventeen years of age, his golden hair shining in the torchlight and his dark eyes a fierce glare. He was dressed in elaborate noble's clothes and held true steel in his left hand, a hand marked by three triangles in the form of one. It glowed faintly, flickering as his enemies drew nearer. _

_He was surrounded by an army of bublins, backed into a wall with a frightened woman who clutched his right arm fearfully. With wide eyes, she glanced about and realized that they were trapped. One versus many. Their chances of escaping were slim._

"_Link," she murmured. Her voice was surprisingly calm and collected. "Ask them what they want. Why they're here."_

"_They're barbarians!" He seethed. "They don't understand Hylian! They plunder villages and ransack houses, destroying homes and families. They won't reason with us, ma! They killed pa and now they want us." He turned towards them and scowled. _

_Ugly creatures. With swamp green skin and low brows, underneath sat beady red eyes which held the look of pleasure as they committed acts of violence. They smiled viciously—large gaping mouths with sharp yellowing teeth and tongues the shade of blood red. In their enormous hands were a variety of weapons—large spiked clubs, bows, torches, pitchforks. Barbaric creatures. They did not deserve to live after all the terror and hurt they left in their path. After these barbarians burned down their village and mercilessly murdered everyone—including his father. Hatred flared within him. They did not deserve to breathe the foul air or live to terrorize another village. _

_He would kill them. He would kill _all _of them. _

_He gripped the sword in his hand, his knuckles whitening, and flipped it ostentatiously. She grabbed his sword hand and he flung her away, her body flying against the wall and sinking to the ground. Dazed, she looked up at him with horror._

"_Stay there." He said. "I'm sorry, ma, but it's the only way out." _

_Like an ocean wave, the bublin horde surged forward, their loud chants and war cries echoing into the smoky sky. The sword reflected the birthmark's light as it worked its way through the crowd, slashing at anything that moved. Butchered limbs flew and blood leaked from lifeless bodies like a red river. The blood sprayed from inflicted wounds of the living, but the boy paid no mind as the warm liquid soaked him from crown to toe. Slashing such horrible creatures brought him a rare sense of satisfaction and it made him feel as if he was a bringer of justice. _

_Blood trickled towards her and she felt the warmth of life drain from his victims. She felt disgust as she watched a monster kill hundreds of living creatures. He was not her son. He was a bringer of death. _

_And he would kill them all. _


	3. Chapter 2: Futile Deceit

_._

* * *

**~ 2 ~**

**_Futile Deceit _**

* * *

A warm, wet cloth was placed gently on my cheek. It smelled of lemons and I smiled at the pleasant scent. Suddenly, the remembrance of where I was last and what happened bolted me upright, my eyes flashed open and frantically viewed my environment. I was tense, ready for any threat that would pop out of the darkness of the forest. As I searched for the eyes of the wolves, all I saw was the setting of my small bedroom. Its familiarity eased my intensity and I relaxed into my comfortable mattress.

"What in the _world_ happened?!" Impa's voice boomed and made me cringe under the covers. My eyes peeped over them, assessing how angry she was. Her brows were furrowed and beneath them laid the eyes of murder. She sat with her arms crossed and her body leaning aggressively forward, as if she was ready to attack me if I infuriated her more.

"I went hunting?" I answered, shrugging my shoulders.

"No, that was what you were _supposed_ to do. Tell me _why_ Lupa came running towards me, wounds and all, without you in the middle of the night. Next thing I know, she leads me to your bloodied body lying in the darkest parts of the forest. How in Farore's name did you end up _there_? I thought you were dead!"

"Well," I said. "I'm alive and I did go hunting. I didn't do anything wrong. I did as you asked me to and I was attacked by wolves."

"Zelda, you're not a liar. There aren't any wolves around this area. They're all in in the mountains."

"Seems to me that the hunters aren't doing their jobs," I joked, hoping to make her laugh. She perked an eyebrow in annoyance. "I'm telling you the truth! Lupa ran off and I followed. A wolf popped out of nowhere along with his wolf friends and chased us all the way to wherever you found me."

"You went very far; three miles to be exact. _Three miles!_" She let out an exasperated sigh. "You're just lucky that the path to Hecta's was near you."

Despite her unnecessary fussing, I shot her a smile to test her forgiveness. I was alive and that was what mattered.

She ignored me and finished cleaning the wound. "Because of that incident, I have decided," she added after a moment of silence, "you can't go hunting anymore. It's too dangerous."

"Impa—!"

Her hand shot up in silence. "You are _way _too reckless and inexperienced to be hunting alone. It's better if you remain here completing tasks. I'll bring home the meat. You can, however, still go to the market to buy vegetables." I perked up a bit. At least I could still get out of the inn and see Malon. "Good night Zelda," she wrapped up the wet towels and exited my room.

Knowing that my body needed rest, I tried to force my mind to fall asleep. It was pointless. My mind kept running off into the distance of restless thoughts. It wandered towards my past before Impa, a memory that seemed blocked and not wanting to reveal itself. No matter how hard I tried to think, the memory fled from desperate grasps to remember.

Before I knew it, sleep gently coaxed me to unconsciousness.

"_Mama? Papa?"_

_"Run, just run!" _

_"We'll find you. We promise."_

_A haunting laugh echoed behind her. It vibrated throughout the labyrinth she ran into and an agonizing scream chased her down the hall. _

_"Queen Zelda, I have found you." The laugh transformed into a deep demanding voice. She could hear it within the walls; she could hear it above, below, and all around her. Wherever she went, the voice followed, circulating like a suffocating cloud. "And you shall be _mine._"_

I awoke with a start. Realizing it was all just a nightmare, my heart stopped racing. The voice wasn't with me. It wasn't real. Whatever it was, my mind was just imagining it.

I didn't want to go back to sleep from fear of the man's evil voice. Wanting to take my mind off of it, I looked out the window, curious at what the time was. The moon hung low in the dark sea of the sky. Its soft light beckoned me to smell the fresh air of the night and to relax in the crisp leaves of the forest. It was roughly midnight. If I sneaked out now, I could spend a few hours out of the inn before Impa even realized my absence.

I began to get out of bed, but stopped at a sudden stinging in my shoulders and thighs. Looking down, I panicked at the wounds. I never thought they would be as bad as this. My body at the time was full of adrenaline and the drive to survive, thus I was powered with a dismissal to pain tolerance. The wounds were bandaged and blood leaked through them, still fresh from the wolf attack. I was frightened to see what lied beneath.

I huffed. Even though my body was screaming at me to get back into bed and rest, I decided the best remedy was to go outside and get fresh air. With the task set in mind, I grabbed my cloak and crept down the stairs, careful to evade any creaky floorboards or steps. As I opened the door, the night's silence and darkness urged me to go inside. It wasn't windy nor was there any sort of precipitation. The night was still and eerie, making my hair stand on end.

Nonetheless, I forced my barefoot to take a step. When the first step was taken, I limped quickly to my little clearing inside the forest. My previous attack had frightened me and my pulse quickened as I neared the shed, but I assured myself that my clearing was protected by the goddesses and therefore a sanctuary. Travellers would stop by this section and rest in ancient times, protected by the goddesses from any predators or bandits lurking in forests. Its promised shelter allowed me to calm and ignore the horrendous wolfos's experience.

It wasn't located very far from the inn, the very reason why I frequently visited to practice magic, combat or to relax and think in solitude. Its beauty had enchanted me when I stumbled upon it, and now it was just a place to go when I felt scared or lonely. I told no one of its location, not even Malon, and I told her everything. She knew I practiced forbidden magic and saw my strange birthmark. This was my safe haven. It was an opportunity to reconnect to myself when I was lost and when human comfort failed. With Impa mad at me and Malon at her ranch, there was no one else to confide my near death experience and strange dreams to but myself.

My feet brushed against the cold forest floor. Its reassuring hardness struck my heels and toes into a rhythmic pace and my heartbeat quickened from the activity and excitement. My pulse further escalated as my eyes scanned my dark surroundings. I was deeply afraid of what laid in the shadows. My thighs and shoulders commanded me to stop as I forced myself forward with a burst of speed and adrenaline. I ignored them as the wounds reopened themselves and a warm liquid slid down my body. I couldn't stop. I was almost to safety and it was too late to cower and turn around.

An unseen presence behind me urged me forth, and I ran from it, hoping that I could outrun whatever it was. Hearing footsteps and heavy breathing behind me encouraged my pace to hasten. Was it mine or perhaps someone else's?

_You're imagining things, _I reminded myself. _That's your footsteps and breathing, not a wolfos's. _

"Not a wolfos," I repeated, hoping that the words said aloud would trick my mind into believing it. It somehow worked, and I chanted the phrase in between shaky breaths until I felt a tickling sensation of soft grass between my toes.

I immediately halted at the new texture beneath my feet. This was the place. The familiarity of it reached my senses and I drew in a deep breath, smelling the sweet air it held. I concentrated, drawing the warm air towards me, and let my mind relax as I conjured the energy from the core of my body. I imagined the moon's light flowing through my veins, through my heart, and down my arm to the tips of my fingers. A tingling sensation erupted, and my fingers grew increasingly hot until the moonlight intensified, bathing the place in a gentle glow. After, I felt cold and weary, using up all the resource of my magic, and walked around the place, examining it again as if it were new.

Although it was autumn, the area had the scenery and atmosphere of spring. The pink blossoms of the apricots gently floated down as a warm breeze swayed its branches. Various blooming trees stood side by side, their bright bursts of green and pink contrasting against the forest background of red and gold. They surrounded a circular clearing of tall grass swaying in the wind, its movements like the soft waves of an ocean. To the north, a high waterfall fell downwards from a rock of wall into a deep pool of tranquility. Strange carvings were engraved on the rock wall behind the waterfall, its beauty obscured by dark moss, revealing its ancient past. Worn down boulders and stones surrounded the pool from its left and right sides. Adjacent was a rotting log cracked in half, luminescent mushrooms peeking from within like a starry night. I smiled. This was my home away from home.

I walked forward and settled by the pool, leaning my back against one of the boulders, and watched the water cascade gracefully down. I was restless, but after my forced running, I ached for sleep. My body cried for it and my mind finally succumbed to its wishes. Feeling secured within the walls of the blossoming trees, I slowly fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The sun's rays eased my eyes opened. Yawning, I stretched my arms and craned my stiff neck, smiling blissfully because I felt relaxed. As the sunlight bathed through the canopy of flowers, I stood up abruptly. I _never_ awoke to see the yellow sun smiling down upon me. Impa ensured I woke early to do the day's chores. If the sun was high in the sky, then Impa would be awake hours before. I panicked and began to move quickly, but halted when my legs protested at the fast movement.

I didn't rush home, partly because of my injuries, but mostly because I dreaded Impa's scolding voice. She would lecture me, asking nosy questions and remind me of my reckless behaviour and consequences frequently. I sighed. The consequences would be more severe this time. I didn't deny the rashness of venturing into the woods with injuries. Anyone could see that was beyond stupidity. But at the time, I needed peace and quiet. Certainly she would strip me of leaving the inn based on my decision. I couldn't go into the market to buy vegetables and talk to Malon anymore.

_Malon! _She would help me in this troubling situation. I didn't bring any money with me into the forest. If I travelled to the market and met her at our usual spot, she could buy vegetables for me to bring back to Impa. Evidence and an alibi would show her that I had simply woken early to purchase goods. I changed my direction towards the market, my feet sinking into the soft soil, and hope faltered as I remembered my absent footwear. Questions would arise at the sight of my toes. Perhaps I could put on my boots as I entered the inn later? Deciding to risk the fatal flaw of my plan, I continued on towards the market.

Fortunately there weren't any boulders or cliffs to climb over as these lands were mainly flat. The walk was shorter than usual as I took detours rather than the worn down dirt road people often used. As I worked my way towards the market, anxiety welled up inside me. I hated lying and I was never good at it. To lie at Impa would make me feel guilty for weeks. She used to always trust me, but ever since I adapted my reckless behaviour, she kept a watchful eye and thought I was constantly lying with excuses rather than telling the truth. She unreasonably punished me by trapping me indoors, further escalating my desire to rebel and remain outside. It irritated me so much that I felt justified to create elaborate lies to evade further restrictions. I took my anger out on the branches that hung low, urging me to slap the leaves away from my vision.

The trees opened to a small wooden fence enclosing a vegetable garden and a stone wall. Realizing that I had now arrived at the town, I walked past the quaint house and heard the lively bustle between vendors and customers nearby. I followed the noise, turned the corner of another stone building, and felt the marketplace everywhere. The sharp smells of spices wafted in the air with the scent of delicious noodles. A wave of tantalizing, heavy perfume hit me and I coughed, dizziness overwhelming me. Beautiful cloaks and dresses shot out of their bleak surroundings, their vibrant colours attracting a large crowd of women nearby. A head of dark red shone bronze in the sunlight near the stand and I instantly recognized it.

"Malon!" I called, trying to walk normally. She didn't turn her head, perhaps because of the crowd's clamour or because she was too captivated by the gorgeous blue dress she held in her hands. I neared her and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around, her smile widening as she immediately recognized me.

"Zelda!" she cried, wrapping her arms around me. I winced at the pressure on my shoulders. "Oh! I'm so sorry." She looked me up and down, her eyes transitioning into intense worry. Dry blood was on my tunic and trousers, my hair in massive tangles, and my feet were bare and dirty. People passing by began to stare at me, curious as to why I looked so beaten and wild. "What happened?"

"It's a long story," I said. I pulled her towards a secluded area to avoid more stares. She handed the dress towards a woman who was anxiously watching it in Malon's hands. We seated ourselves onto a bench underneath the shade of the cool leaves. "Hmm…where should I start off?" I wondered aloud.

"Maybe at the part where you got blood all over you?" She suggested.

"I got attacked by wolves," I said bluntly.

She looked unfazed.

"Aren't you surprised?"

"I heard rumours that all sorts of strange things are happening. I'm not surprised that the wolves are returning. I'm more concerned than surprised, actually." She craned her neck as she studied my wounds. "Did you get those treated?"

"Impa bandaged them last night and they tore open."

"Is it because you snuck out again?" She smirked.

"Yes." I complained, crossing my arms. "She tries to keep me indoors! One chance at freedom and I messed it up."

"I'd rather live with someone who's actually concerned for me instead of a lazy caretaker who just wants to sleep all day," she retorted. A hint of hurt lied beneath her voice. Ever since her mother died, her father had been depressed and slipped into a period of sluggishness, excusing himself from daily tasks because he was saddened at his wife's departure. Years have passed since her death and the worst of his depression had elapsed, yet Talon had developed into his lazy routine.

"Where's your father at right now?" I asked.

"Most likely sleeping at the stand again," she sighed. "Every time I leave the stand under his care to browse for things, he lets sales slip because he's too busy in dreamland."

"You should give him one of those energizer potions," I joked. "Or better yet, make me cast an insomnia spell."

Malon hushed me with her wide, cobalt eyes. "Are you crazy? Saying these things in public?"

I cracked a smile. "But imagine your dad on an energizer potion!"

The image of Talon moving was so bizarre that we burst into fits of giggles.

"Making fun of my papa." She shook her head in mock scorn. "Enough of it! Tell me more about the wolves."

Even though we were secluded, I lowered my voice just in case. I told her everything, including the wolfos and the recurring thoughts of death that chased me by the heels. I complained about Impa's unfairness and my justification of lying to escape more punishments.

Carefully listening to my mastermind plan, Malon nodded and agreed to buy vegetables. When I stopped talking, she asked, "What about your feet? And your hair! It's like a cucco's nest!"

"Never mind about my feet, I'll just slip on my boots when I return." I eyed her satchel curiously. "Do you still carry brushes around?"

"They're for horses—"

"Please, I'm desperate." I gave her a sulky pout.

She laughed. "Your hair will smell bad. Just let me take the horse hair out." She hummed a catchy tune beneath her breath as she pulled fine hairs out. "I can buy you shoes as well. Just make up an excuse on why you needed new ones."

"No, Malon. You're already doing enough by buying me vegetables."

"It's okay. Ingo is such a great salesman that he made extra money yesterday selling milk. He even managed to sell all the butter and cheese!"

"I bet he wasn't happy when Talon took most of the money."

"My papa isn't a good employer," she admitted. "He entrusts all the money into my hands. I try to make Ingo happy by paying him bonuses."

"He's probably still unhappy no matter how much money you give him. He's such a bitter man."

"You only talked to him once! Stop with the accusations," she grinned. She studied the brush, satisfied by the lack of horse hair, and began tackling my locks. "I'll buy you cheap shoes. Impa's probably waiting by the door for you so you won't have a chance to slip your boots on."

"She's like a hawk." I giggled. She tugged hard at my hair, showing it no mercy as my head was pulled back. I struggled to keep it upright and restrained from wincing with pain. "I'll pay you back later. We can go shopping for your Harvest Festival dress."

"Oh! I'm so excited. Thinking about it constantly keeps me up late. I'm going to be the Harvest Festival Queen!" Her hands flew wildly around her as she spoke a stream of rapid words. "It's exactly three days from now. I don't even have a dress. Can you help with my hair later? And help me pick out the dress? All eyes will be on me! I wonder if a handsome knight will be there." The last part made her think quietly to herself as she resumed her battle with my hair.

"Of course," I replied. "I'll help you with everything and be at the Harvest Festival. That is, if we manage to fool Impa."

"Maybe I should take a visit to the inn today," she answered. "Would that convince her?"

"No, it wouldn't. She'll know the lies if we try too hard." I added, "That's overkill."

"Just a suggestion."

"You've done _way_ too much. Anyways, Talon needs someone to watch over him."

She put her brush away and grumbled. "Yes, of course. I'm starting to get sick of it. Good thing Ingo and him will be at the ranch when I go to the Harvest."

I ran my fingers through my smooth hair. "I'm sure you'll forget them since you'll be the main star of the party."

"I just hope they won't be running to me when their small crises arise. Those two can never relate to each other," she sighed. "They're like little children. Ingo is much better than my papa, though."

"He still feels the need to complain about his employer to his _actual _employer."

Frowning slightly, she got up. "I never knew I'd run the ranch at the age of ten. Such responsibility has made me old."

"I don't see any wrinkles." I stood up beside her. "Shall we shop?"

"Yes! If we have time, let's look at dresses?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

We smiled at each other and rushed to the stand she was previously browsing at. The vegetables could wait while we looked at possible dresses for the Harvest. Malon expertly tore through the pile of dresses, occasionally holding one beneath her neck as she scrutinized her appearance in the full length mirror next to the stand.

"I'd definitely go for the blue dress. It brings out your eyes," I said, remembering the dress she fawned over.

"Yes, yes. That colour is for you! It contrasts against that beautiful hair of yours," the vendor exclaimed, startling us. He was a very short man wearing eccentric and vibrant clothes that belonged on a Gerudo woman.

"Is that King Ganondorf?" Malon cautiously whispered towards me.

I giggled. "No, silly! He's Hylian." Pointing towards his long ears, my eyes caught something behind his head. It was a scarlet dress. Judging by its shape, it would be a good fit for Malon. "How about that one?" I asked, pretending my finger was actually pointing towards the dress.

"You'll look like a flame with this dress on." He pulled it off the pile and presented it to Malon, placing the dress beneath her chin. She smiled ecstatically as she studied herself in the mirror. "It looks well against your tanned complexion. If you add a bit of charcoal around your eyes, they'll pop out like sapphires in a fiery blaze."

"How much is it?" I asked.

"Fifty rupees," he said eagerly. "Made of the finest silk and gorgeous red rupees in the Gerudo desert."

"Lucky for us, I have a hundred." She leaned towards me and whispered. "Should I buy it? It's such a good deal. Fifty rupees for that stunner!?"

"Go ahead and buy it. Vegetables are five rupees and my shoes won't be much." I gave her a reassuring smile.

"I'll take it!" She handed him a purple rupee.

He thanked us and rushed us on, hurrying towards a woman who was gazing at a sunshine yellow dress.

"I guess next time we'll have to shop for your dress." She took a step back studied my figure. "I'm thinking of a billowy white dress with gold lining and blue accents. You'll look like a spirit!"

I raised my eyebrows on the word _spirit._ "If we'll find such a dress. Let's look for shoes."

Bumping shoulders with strangers along the way, we finally found a vendor who yelled that he was selling the finest shoes in the world.

"We all know that's false advertisement." Malon smirked. As we approached him, his smile flashed across his face. No one was around his stand but us. When people bought shoes, they usually went to a shoemaker beforehand rather than browsing at the shoes he blindly made.

"Do you have any shoes that are eight and a half inches?" I asked.

He rummaged through a disorganized pile and pulled average looking shoes out. "Here, try these on."

Pulling them on, I could tell they were too large for my feet. I could wiggle my toes and move my foot within them. Taking a few steps around, they weren't too unfitted that they would slip off when I walked.

"They're hideous," Malon muttered. "What an ugly mud colour."

"I'm more concerned on its function and price," I said loudly.

"Oh, the price is very cheap for such fine craftsmanship." The vendor appeared suddenly behind my shoulder.

"Name your cost." Malon demanded.

"Fifty rupees."

"No wonder why you have no customers!" Her outburst made us flinch. The vendor's face reddened as he rubbed the back of his neck with shame. "Is this a scam? I can tell that your fine shoes cost no more than fifteen rupees. My dress costs fifty rupees and you can tell that it's worth it!" she cried. I looked at her with shock. Gentle Malon yelling at a poor man was so unlike her.

"You're right," he mumbled.

"So this is a scam?" I asked.

"No. The reason why I have no customers is because I overprice my shoes."

"Maybe you should change your habit," she said in a gentler tone.

"I can't. I'm in debt and have to overprice them just to pay for food and taxes."

"Tell you what," she smiled warmly, "I'll pay twenty-five rupees for your shoes. That's ten rupees more than what they cost."

"And at least you'll be making some money today," I added.

"Sounds like a deal!" He nodded gratefully as Malon handed him rupees.

As we walked away I asked her scornfully, "What was _that_?"

"What was what?" She grinned innocently.

"Your aggressiveness towards that poor guy!"

"Oh. Yeah, about that…" she trailed off, quietly thinking of what to say next. "I'm just so sick of people overpricing their goods. I understand about unfair taxes, but that doesn't mean you should start raising your product price to other people who suffer the same situation."

"I see your point. It just makes the situation worse."

She nodded. "I guess I got so sick of it that I took it out on that one guy."

"I think you taught him a lesson." We looked behind us and saw a glimpse of a small crowd gathering around him. A sea of people swept us away towards the vegetable stands, blocking our view of him.

"I like helping people. Especially friends," she beamed. "I'd drop anything if you ever need help."

"I already know that." I returned her smile. "And I'd do the same for you."

After we bought onions, lettuce, spinach and potatoes and put them in a basket, we sat down near a small fountain. We talked for what seemed like minutes, but the sun hung low in the sky, creating a soft orange glow in the horizon. The crowd seemed to be diminishing and a strange silence hung in the market as vendors packed their stands up.

"Where did the time go?" I stood abruptly, nearly knocking the vegetables out of the basket.

"Autumn is slowly approaching winter and, before you know it, nightfall will arrive sooner." She chuckled. "I could ride you home on Epona."

"Please," I begged, "I can't go into the woods at night again!"

"Let me wake papa up first. Go to the stables and I'll meet you there in a few."

I did as she told, stroking Epona's mane as I waited. I felt strange inside a stable that wasn't falling apart and was actually full of horses. They neighed and whinnied, impatiently waiting for their masters to take them home.

"Read to go?" Her voice sprang out of nowhere, startling me. "Whoa, easy there!" She giggled.

"That wasn't very funny!" I cried but soon laughed as Malon mocked the expression on my face. "We have to get there quickly. Think you can race against the sun?"

"_Please,_" she hopped onto the mare, "I'm the fastest rider in Hyrule!"

I climbed Epona and seated myself behind Malon.

"Brace yourself." A sly grin crept up on her lips.

Our hair whipped in the wind as we travelled at breakneck speed. The sun slowly descended behind us and the shadows of the forest glided towards our vision.

I gulped fearfully.

I never knew I'd become a victim of the dark.

* * *

The glow of the inn floated towards us, becoming larger and larger as we approached it. To my horror, my heartbeat accelerated. I was certain that the signs of light would calm my anxiety.

"Here we are!" she chirped. "Are you sure you don't want me to talk to her? I'm already here."

"It's fine," I said quickly. "She probably heard us riding." I climbed down slowly. The pains of my body had increased during the hasty ride. Malon's hand caught mine before I could walk any further.

"Well, then." She looked at me. Her face was hard to see in the cover of night. "Good luck. And don't forget about our plans for tomorrow!"

"I won't." I whispered, my voice barely audible. It didn't matter, though. A trail of dust rose in the air and the gallop of hooves were thundering in the distance.

My hands curled into tight knuckles and my fingernails buried themselves into the palms of my hands. The guilt of lying was clouding my mind, even though I didn't lie to Impa yet. The thought of wolves' eyes forced me to move forward, and I burst through the door.

"I was with Malon," I explained swiftly.

Impa was crouching on the floor and she glanced at me with worried eyes. My gaze shifted towards the huddled figure next to her.

I gasped.

It was a young man. And he was covered in blood_._


	4. Chapter 3: An Unexpected Guest

**.**

* * *

**~ 3 ~**

**_An Unexpected Guest_**

* * *

A soft thud interrupted the silence that shrouded us. The outer layer of the onions peeled back as they rolled on the floor, their translucent skin underneath turning a dark red as they absorbed fresh blood. I ignored one that gently bounced off my foot and stepped forward slowly, unsure of how to react. The sight stunned me. My lies were the least of my worries, for a man drenched in blood was shivering face down on the ground. Was the blood his? It can't be. That amount of blood would surely drain a man dry. He was alive and that was what mattered.

My senses returned and I rushed to his side, ignoring my own pains as I crouched next to him, searching for wounds. "What happened?" I asked, taking off my frayed gloves.

"That's what I'm finding out." Impa replied as she returned to assess him. "He came in just before you."

"He needs medical attention." I insisted as I spotted multiple rips and slashes on his tattered tunic. He had been in battle, but a battle for what?

"I'll get Markus," she rose from her position and hurried towards the door. Before leaving, she halted and glanced at me with worry. "You stay here and wash him up. If you find any wounds bleeding heavily, put pressure on them with your hands."

The door slammed shut behind me and I immediately went into action, quickly throwing my cloak around him in the hope that it would stop his constant trembling. His body was sprawled out as if he'd drowned, and he was positioned in a cruel twisted way. I wanted to turn him on his side and put a soft pillow under his head for comfort, but was afraid that possible wounds would bleed if I moved him. Wasting no time, I grabbed the buckets filled with water by the fireplace and hastily dumped one into the lobby's cauldron, cursing as its contents splashed into the fire. It sizzled for a second and then the fire raged on. Relief calmed my anxious heart. There was no time to waste to light fires. I had to watch over him, but he needed warm water, and I couldn't afford to be in two places at once.

I glanced towards him from the doorway and saw his back expand as he inhaled. Good. He was still breathing and that was all I needed to continue my task. I walked urgently to the kitchen, knowing that the fire was already lit by the smell of carrot soup, and dumped it in a nearby pot for later eating. I didn't bother to clean the cauldron it was previously in. I was in a rush and I didn't think he would mind if he smelled faintly of carrots after a hot bath.

As the water boiled in both fires, I returned my attention to him and my heart leaped.

He was conscious, hugging his knees and resting his chin on them, rocking back and forth with his eyes wide opened, unblinking, unfocused. _Those eyes_. They were a royal blue and popped out from the red that soaked his face. Red droplets slid down his brow, but he ignored them and continued to stare hazily into the distance.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry,_" _he whispered.

"Sorry…sorry for what?" I thought aloud, immediately regretting my blunder. His gaze sharply turned towards my own, become clearer and wider as an emotion grew from within, an emotion so strong that my mind stalled as he said two, simple syllables:

_Zelda._

Disbelief rang through my ears. I had never met this odd boy before, but my name echoed loudly, its sounds ringing with the voice of absolute recognition and certainty.

"Zelda," he repeated. He stood up and approached me swiftly, movements too fast for me to realize what was going on. My hand flew to my necklace in fright, but before it could reach my thudding chest, he had caught it with his own and held it. "Forgive me," he traced my glowing birthmark, studying it with strange sorrow in his eyes. I watched his left hand as it weaved the pattern, leaving traces of blood, and I gasped as I saw an identical mark on it with the same soft light emitting into the air. Confusion flooded me, and in my state of shock, I attempted to rip my hand away from his iron grip. Abruptly, our marked hands met. The soft light gradually grew until it lit the entire room in solid white. His eyes struggled to find mine. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice was so close to me, yet so far away. "I'm sorry for everything."

* * *

_"Give me my ball back!" a boy shouted furiously. He was knocked backwards. The elbows that attempted to save his fall were bleeding from the ground they landed on. Pain brought tears to his eyes, but he refused to let them shed._

_"I don't see any reason why a ball should go to single kid instead of a group of friends." A tall boy smirked. There was a wicked glint in his eyes as he fiddled with the yellow ball._

_"Yeah!" his background chorus cheered._

_The boy stood on his tiptoes and reached for it. "C'mon Groose, give it back!"_

_The tall boy laughed at his pleas as he raised the ball higher. With a flick of his wrist, it flew through the air and landed in one of his companion's hands. Seeing an opportunity to retrieve the ball from a shorter opponent, the boy charged towards him._

_"Hey, Cawlin, over here!" a blond haired boy shouted._

_"Catch it, Strich, before Link gets it!" Cawlin called, whipping the ball towards him. Strich caught it and ran a few paces apart before throwing it back to Groose._

_"Try to get it, Link!" They snickered._

_They surrounded him, throwing the ball to and fro with Link chasing it wherever it landed. He was soon breathless and panting, sitting on the ground and shedding tears of frustration. "Just give it back," he repeated weakly. He cowed his head to hide the warmth that was falling from his eyes._

_The ball soared in an arch towards Cawlin. It flew by his head and bounced on the ground before a small boot stopped it._

_"What's going on?" a small voice asked._

_"Z-Zelda!" Groose straightened up and gave the voice's owner a wide grin. "Hi! Wanna play?"_

_She ignored him and scooped up the ball. Her attention was fixed on the sullen boy crouched on the ground. "Is this ball yours?" she asked kindly._

_He refused to look up. Instead, he buried his flushed face within his knees._

_"So you wanna play?" Groose asked again, hopefully._

_"Not until you tell me whose ball this is." A hint of irritation began to spark in her eyes._

_"It's just a ball," he yawned. "I dunno why you're making such a big deal out of it."_

_"I hate it when you steal things." He ignored her remark and groomed his hair. His ignorance only infuriated her more. "It's not fair to others!" she snapped._

_"Woah, Zelda, calm down!" His friends looked as shocked as he and knew it was time to leave. They quietly slipped away, leaving Groose behind._

_"This ball's probably his," Zelda said, fiddling with it. _

_"It is," Link spoke up. "Groose took it from me."_

_"What a liar!" He scoffed. "I was only borrowing it. I was gonna return it."_

_"Yeah right," Zelda muttered. "You're only jealous that he holds the fastest racing record!"_

_Her accusation caused Groose to recoil with exaggerated laughter. A few moments passed before he managed to croak out, "W-What? That's not true!"_

_"Of course it is. You hate it when someone's better than you," she smirked, seeing through his foolish grin. "Link here does nothing but stare at the sky during his other classes. I don't know why you're so jealous of him." And, to make him feel even more foolish, she threw in a fancy word. "You're pathetic."_

_He assumed her accusation was demeaning. "No I'm not!"_

_"Are too!"_

_"Am not!"_

_"Then prove it," she grabbed Link's hand and pulled him up, "by not bullying Link."_

_"I never bullied him." His eyes widened. This girl was unforgivably smarter than what she looked!_

_"What I just saw looked like bullying to me."_

_Seeing no way out of this, Groose slumped his shoulders. "Fine." He perked up a bit after seconds passed and proudly said, "Only if you play with me sometime!" If she could bargain, then he could bargain too._

_"All right, but for now…" She smiled at Link and handed him the yellow ball. Since the first few days of school started, Zelda committed herself to become friends with everyone. She greeted her classmates and changed seats to meet and talk to her newly made friends. She managed to chat with everyone and get to know them—everyone but the boy by the window. He was so quiet in class that not many noticed him, herself included. She wanted to get him into the joy of newfound friendships and happy play dates, and this was the golden opportunity. "For now, I want to play with Link."_

_"Whatever," Groose shrugged off his disappointment. "It's almost dark anyways." He turned towards the direction of his home and waved a brief goodbye before walking glumly away._

_"I'm Zelda," she grinned._

_Feeling mildly awkward, Link took a few steps away from her and tore away from her hand. "How do you know my name?" he asked rudely. He didn't like that a girl rescued him from a group of bullies._

_"Horwell was talking to you and I happened to be eavesdropping," she guiltily admitted._

_Link raised an eyebrow._

_"Eavesdropping is when you—"_

_"I know what that means! Who's Horwell?"_

_"The teacher!"_

_"Oh," he laughed. "Let's found out each other's names properly," he suggested, holding out his right hand._

_She grabbed his hand and strongly shook it, his arm flinging up and down like a spring launched into the air._

_"I'm Link," he said._

_"And I'm Zelda," she replied._

_And together, they smiled, "Glad to meet you."_

* * *

My eyes began to focus, the blurry outline of a red blob becoming clearer with each passing second. When I realized what I was staring at, I shrieked in horror. It was a man covered in blood, his magnificent blue eyes piercing into mine.

"Zelda!" He cried. "Calm down! You fainted for only a second." _And possibly had a vision._

"What vision?" I asked. "And how do you know my name?"

His eyes widened and his mouth opened and closed, struggling to form words. "You don't remember?"

"If you're talking about dreams, yes, I don't remember them." I eyed him with worry, remembering my mission. "Never mind me! Look at you—you're an absolute mess and possibly injured!"

"I'm fine." He waved me off as I flitted around him. "I'm Link, if that makes you more comfortable." Something in that name sounded familiar. I pondered it as I dove into assessing his injuries.

"Do you mind?" I asked, gesturing at his shirt. I couldn't see wounds clearly on his skin with clothes blocking the way. He nodded and I tore off his shirt, suppressing my amazement at the defined muscles underneath it and looked for any hints of wounds. As he said, there weren't any. The only medical attention he needed was a bath.

"I find this really unnecessary." He stretched his back with ease. "It's you that should be looked after. Those don't look so great." He pointed at my wrapped bindings that were beginning to unfurl.

"I'm used to the pain," I replied. "Are you sure you're uninjured?" A question was at the tip of my tongue, but I restrained it due to politeness and civility. Curiosity yearned for me to ask him as to why he was covered in blood and uninjured. It was a strange mystery, and my trouble-seeking brain wanted to solve it.

"I don't bathe in blood, if that's what you're wondering," he said. "I was in a long and bloody battle. And I happen to be one of the best swordsmen in Hyrule." His voice cracked at the beginning and his eyes began to water. Whatever this battle was, it was obvious he had lost a loved one. I didn't pursue the topic and decided to cheer him up with playful banter.

"Quit your bragging," I laughed. For an unexplainable reason, I immediately grew a liking to this stranger despite his oddity and the unusual circumstances. Perhaps it was the strange mark that we both shared? "I always thought I was the only special one," I joked, trying to sound casual to change the conversation.

"What about being special?" He asked.

"You know, magical birthmarks that glow?"

"This?" He eyed his hand as if a sixth finger was growing out of it. "I'm used to it. I was born with it and hunted for it because there are legends…" He trailed off. "Legends of old that are no longer told in taverns or near warm fires. There is a rumour that only the King knows of these forgotten legends. These legends happen to be true because I am proof of them," he held up his hand and proudly showed me his birthmark, "and so are you."

"And what are these 'legends'?" I asked. Impa had taught me a few lessons on Hyrule's history but she hardly mentioned mythology or legends of old.

"As I said, no one knows but the King. He has a hidden library full of them."

"Perhaps we should visit the library someday," I smiled. Whatever these legends were, they seemed interesting. "But for now, let's clean you up."

I gathered the hot buckets of water and poured them into a wooden tub upstairs. Thinking that he was still injured, I offered to help him up. He admitted his legs were a bit shaky from shock, but he could manage.

"I'll be right outside the room if you need anything," I called.

"I think I only need to talk to someone," he replied. "I-I've been through a lot."

"Any battle would make a boy shocked." There was only silence after that. The way I said it sounded like an insult. I bit my tongue to prevent other stupid words from spewing out.

"Yes, I am still a boy, I suppose," he finally said. "I'm seventeen but I view myself as a man. After all, I am the man of my household."

"People are forced to grow up ever since Ganondorf came into power," I muttered to myself, thinking about Malon. There were supporters of Ganondorf and I wasn't one of them, among many others. I wasn't one who enjoyed discussing politics because my only view was that someone—_anyone_—should be on the throne besides that man. "You're lucky that you're the one who can make decisions," I said instead.

"I agree," he replied. "Ganondorf does shorten childhood's natural span. I've seen children in my village work the mines because their parents are too sick to get out of bed." I was disappointed that he heard my private comment. It wasn't meant for him; nonetheless, I felt relief that he shared the same viewpoint that Ganondorf was a ruthless ruler.

"Are you from the north?" I inquired. The mines at Death Mountain were barren and the only valuable minerals were from the north in the land known as the Peak. The Peak was a cold and dangerous place with a harsh climate, long winters and steep mountains. The only vegetation that thrived there was during the brief summers the Peak experienced.

"Near there," he said. "I've been traveling for some days now. More like chased."

I gulped down my shock. "Chased? By what?"

"Bublins. Someone sent them, and I am suspecting it's Ganondorf."

"I know Ganondorf isn't good, but don't you think that's going into extremes? What is a villager to Ganondorf?"

I heard a chuckle echo within the bathroom. "I'm not just a village boy. In these ragged clothes, I suppose I appear to be that. I am actually Link Areyante. If I still had my sword I could show you the proof of my heritage."

Confusion flooded me. I had heard of the Areyantes, an old family full of wealth and various lands. They branched off of the longest ruling royalty, the Harkinians, and controlled a majority of Hyrule. Ganondorf asked for Matilda's hand in marriage years ago before he was even King, but the Areyantes refused for they saw through his evil ways. Out of spite, he cast a curse on her so that she would never bear children. Matilda was the only child of the last existing Areyante couple. With that, the Areyante line was doomed to end. "I thought a curse was bestowed upon the Areyante family that they could never have children?"

"That doesn't mean that they can't adopt," he answered.

"You're the Areyante successor?" I gasped. Adoption among nobles was a rare thing. They valued blood relatives above all and scorned upon children from love affairs or ones who were taken in out of pity. "I never knew they had a son."

"Don't be so shocked," he grumbled. "As I said before, Ganondorf hates the Areyantes. Now that he knows a seventeen year old secret, he's determined for me to be killed," he gave a brief pause, "He already killed my parents. He must murder all remaining Areyantes, blood related or not, to reap the heritage. And I'm the last one."

"What about your mark?" He mentioned it before as a reason why he was hunted.

"That's just another bonus to have me killed," he said bitterly.

"But why?"

"I already told you. _I don't know._"

We were silent for a moment. Then I heard water slosh onto the tile floor. I quickly retrieved a towel and held it through the crack of the oak door.

"Thank you," he said through the small opening, regaining his composure.

"I forgot about it," I admitted. All talk of impending death was whisked out the window with the bath water. "I'll try and find you some clothes."

I entered into Impa's bedroom and reached into her drawers searching for her biggest shirt and pants. She liked to dress in comfortable loose clothes, preferring men's trousers instead of skirts, and didn't mind if another borrowed them.

"Here," I shyly poked my hand through the door and looked away. "It might be a bit small, but I'm sure we can buy some clothes for you tomorrow."

"Thank you," he said. I heard a ruffle of fabrics before he came out the door with trousers that went up to mid-shin and a pirate shirt with sleeves tightly hugging his elbows. He held the bloody rags in his hands with a look of regret. He held out the shirt. Despite it being torn and drenched in blood, the faded designs and slits which once held jewels were faintly visible and was the only reminiscence of his old life. "If they still had jewels in them, I would have paid you, but I've spent it all on food while I was running away."

"It's fine. If someone is in need, we drop everything and help them in any way we can." He cast a questioning glance at me as we walked down the stairs, "'We' as in Impa and me. She's the white haired lady that found you. She went to get a doctor."

"That's unnecessary." He went down the stairs and I followed. "I'm well."

"I already confirmed that." I smiled, glancing at the bar in the kitchen. "Would you like a drink?"

"Allow me," he said, and walked towards the bar and gathered two cups. I protested but he ignored me saying that I was the injured one who needed to be looked after. He opened and closed each cupboard before I pointed to where we kept the drinks.

"You know, I'm more experienced at making drinks than some noble guy who hasn't worked an honest day in his life," I grumbled playfully.

He cast me a sly grin. "I'm a peculiar noble. I worked along with my men in the fields to better hide the Areyante secret." I watched his muscles beneath Impa's shirt ripple as he gathered ingredients. No wonder why he was so fit for a nobleman. "It worked. The villagers near the Areyante estate viewed me as a servant boy of the Areyantes who worked the fields from time to time for extra pay."

I seated myself on a barstool and watched as he expertly mixed cranberries and cherries into an orange drink. He turned his back to me to add his 'secret finish' before serving me a delicious looking drink. I took a sip and licked my lips. The liquid flowed down my throat in fizzy warmth. I soon greedily gulped down the remaining drops. "What did you put into this? It's amazing!"

"As I said, it's a secret." He winked and took a light sip of his own drink. "It should help with your injuries."

"Is that why you didn't have any? Because you drank yourself to health?"

He laughed. "Don't be ridiculous." Then he leaned in closer to me suddenly. I almost choked on my drink because we were so close, our noses almost touching, and I could feel the heat emitting from his skin. "I actually know a bit of magic potions, specifically healing ones. I knew they would come in handy someday."

I didn't realize my mouth was hanging open before he sat back on his side of the counter. I glanced around the room before speaking in a whisper, "I-I know a few things about magic, too."

"I already know. Bearers of the mark are gifted in magic," he smiled to himself and muttered, "except me. I'm not as good as the others."

My eyes widened in excitement. "What others?"

He leaned in again before whispering, "There's you, me…"

"…and…?"

"Ganondorf."

I recoiled back in my chair with terror. I was connected to the King? "Am I—Am I his daughter?" I pondered aloud.

Link only laughed at me. "Oh, no. What a crazy idea!"

His laughter annoyed me and I stood up from my stool. "It was just a thought," I said angrily. "Like you, I'm also adopted. Anyone could be my parents." I turned my back to him and crossed my arms.

"Sorry, but Ganondorf is _not _your father. And you should be glad of that as well."

"How could you claim to know nothing about the marks? You just told me some information on them," I replied dubiously.

I heard him jump over the counter and, within seconds, he towered over me with a knowing glint in his eyes. "I do know a few things about the marks," he said. "But it isn't in my place to tell you."

"Than who?" I eyed him suspiciously. This boy was irritatingly mysterious and was starting to get on my nerves with riddles.

He placed his hands on my shoulder. "Ask your caretaker. She has all the answers."

"Impa? She's just an innkeeper who lives in the middle of nowhere that happened to find me when I was lost and took me in." My mind was racing and I had no idea what I was saying. There were some truths in what she had told me, yet there were some loopholes that floated to the surface and revealed themselves as lies.

He smirked as my mind raced with questions and no answers. How did she know my name? How did she get my mother's necklace? Why did she have it in the first place? Who is my mother and why can't I remember her, or my father, in that case? Were they still alive?

"I-I'll confront her," I said weakly. I was more curious than ever about my past. "I don't know why I haven't before."

A look of anger crossed his face. "It was wrong, but she didn't tell you. She forced you to forget."

"Forced me?" I murmured. "If anyone forgets something, they're the ones to blame. After all, it's their memory."

He shook his head in frustration. "Maybe I should be the one who talks with her."

I hit him lightly in the arm. "Don't be absurd! She doesn't even know you."

"Of course she does. I've crossed paths with her more than once."

"Impa hardly goes out of Faron and I doubt she ever went to the Peak."

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but clenched his jaw and flipped his long hair in frustration, muttering sadly, "You wouldn't understand."

"If you give me the chance, maybe I can understand whatever you're referring to," I suggested.

"As I said, it's not my place to explain. It's Impa's." He walked slowly towards the stairs. "It's been a long journey and I'm tired. Care to direct me to a warm bed?"

"Of course," I went to a nearby closet and brought out sheets and pillows. "Follow me."

We trudged tiredly up the stairs and I led him to a cold room consisting of only a fireplace, a shelf full of old books, an empty wardrobe, a bare bed and a desk and creaky chair. The only decorations were the circular rug on the floor and a tiny window that looked out to the flowing river beneath a canopy of stars. "It's small, but it will do. We don't get many customers, so it'll be quiet most of the time."

"I'll go to the bank tomorrow and pay you. You have my gratitude," he replied. I tossed the sheets onto the bed and shivered as I struggled to start the fire. "You can always use magic."

I laughed. "I'm a novice. If I tried a fire spell it'll burn the entire inn."

He shrugged his shoulders. "It was only a suggestion. Here, allow me." He crouched next to me and clenched his fists. His eyes were closed as he concentrated. His hands were visibly shaking, turning red, and making his veins pop out as he breathed in deeply. At last, his hands stilled, he breathed out, and he released his fingers all at once to produce an orange glow that shone within his palm. A small ball of fire floated towards the wood and set it ablaze.

My mouth went agape. "I never knew such a spell existed," I said with excitement overflowing my words.

He got up and sighed softly. "It's not meant for lighting fires. Well, it _can_ be used for it, but its main use is for battle."

"Battle? I thought you only worked the fields." I picked up the sheets and began making his bed.

"I've done many things in the past." He sank into the nearby chair. "I've remembered every single detail of bloodshed, and I'm ashamed to say that fighting sometimes exhilarates me."

"Magic excites me," I piped in. "I know I'm not supposed to do it, but that's the fun part." A strange giggle burst out of me and I clamped my hand over my mouth.

He chuckled. "Looks like someone else needs to have some sleep as well." I heard him walk towards me and felt his arms wrap around my waist. I tensed at his touch and struggled to free myself as he placed a kiss on my head.

"What…_what _are you doing?!" I stammered, adrenaline coursing through me. I suppose Impa's suggestion of men in hard times was true. I immediately went into action, ducking beneath his embrace and landing in a crouched position, I aimed for a high kick to his face but before it could land on its target, his hard grabbed my foot. I tried to shake it off but he firmly held on, and I felt silly in my crouched position with my leg high in the air. I gasped for breath from the sudden activity and fought back the strands of hair that were sliding into my face.

"I-I'm sorry, Zelda," he placed my foot gently down and attempted to help me up. I swatted his hand away and got up myself. "It's just that…I was in the heat of the moment and I forgot what we are."

"What we are?" I brushed off dust from my pants. "I'll tell you what we are. Strangers! And strangers don't hug each other or kiss each other! _Especially_ in a bedroom."

"I apologize for my behaviour." He grimaced and looked away. "It's just been…"

I tapped my foot waiting for an answer. The next sentence he said came out so quickly that it sounded like one long word. "Could you repeat that slower?" I asked with annoyance in my eyes. His face turned red with embarrassment as he took a deep breath.

"It's nothing," he looked at me with apologetic eyes. "I just had too much to drink, too much shock in just one day and I'm tried and too delusional to function."

"Then get some rest." I truly felt sorry for him, but I wasn't going to admit it right now. "Goodnight, Link Areyante."

"Goodnight," he mumbled before he tucked himself underneath the sheets. I began to exit, but the urgency in his voice made me pause. "And Zelda?" I turned to look at him. He looked so tired, yet full of life and energy as he stared directly into my eyes with hidden secrets and a rare sense of determination I couldn't quite comprehend. "If you ever get the chance to speak to Impa, ask her about the Harkinians and the last queen regnant."

I nodded and murmured "I will" before shutting the door quietly.

I wanted to wait for Impa, but I knew it would be early morning before she returned, so I wrote a note explaining that the wounded wasn't actually injured and pinned on the front door. Tired and hungry, I fed myself a slice of bread and cheese before I went upstairs into my bedroom. I lied in my bed, tossing and turning. My thoughts of Link and the anticipation of confronting Impa kept me awake.

He was a mysterious stranger with inexplicable hints and riddles. All he revealed to me was that Impa was the key to unlocking the truths. I intended to dig through her dirt and lies to finally find my buried past hidden away behind a locked door. And I didn't care if I got buried alive.


	5. Chapter 4: Bar Fights and Brawl Knights

_a/n - _Ah! I remember writing this last summer. I've got to admit, the action scenes were pretty good, so I'm proud of myself for that. **pats self on back**

I reedit it this chapter for your enjoyment! See any errors? Point it out!

* * *

**~ 4 ~**

**_Bar Fights and Brawl Knights_**

* * *

The sun's brilliant rays filled the room with warmth and I lowered my eyes to dodge its bright light, falling back into the covers. For a while, I pondered if I should get back to sleep, then my thoughts wandered into the events of last night. The strange boy and his taunting hints confused me and I wanted this cloud of confusion to be swept away. The only way to understand everything was through Impa. The very idea of confronting her bolted me out of bed and I quickly dressed into a simple blue dress and pulled on my one pair of boots. I started out the door, but the thought of my birthmark made me turn back and grab the new gloves waiting at the top of the dresser.

They were white with gold trim and only covered the back of my hands, allowing freedom for my fingertips and palms. I admired the nice fit but detested the pristine white and delicate trimming. No doubt they would dirty quick and the annoyance of washing them would be unnecessarily repetitive. The trim would come loose quickly and I'd soon be pulling at the threads—out of habit—and ruin the gloves myself. I sighed. When I meant fashionable, I meant it to be practical and not dreadful looking like the old ones I had. Nonetheless, these gloves were the best looking ones I had yet.

I stepped down the stairs, following the smell of fried eggs and venison. I was a bit nervous confronting Impa on a topic I dared not tread before, but my curiosity grabbed me by the collar and forced me down those stairs. When I reached the bottom, I stopped and peeked around the corner. My vision was limited down the hall and into the sunlit kitchen. A lock of gold hair followed by a worn boot passed by the opened doorway and a memory from last night rose mixed emotions. I didn't know how to respond to Link after his bizarre interaction and my outlandish accusation. I cautiously walked down the hall and took a seat on a barstool.

"Zelda! Good morning." He turned around with a smile and surprise in his wide eyes. I returned his smile with one of my own. "I didn't realize you were there!" He laughed, and I found myself laughing a little too.

"Your cooking woke me up," I said cheerfully, crossing my legs and folding my hands on the counter. "Do you know where Impa is?" I was surprised that my voice had come out so casually. In truth, I dreaded confronting her, yet I felt like I _had _to.

"She cashed some customers in before she left. And we talked for a bit," he impenetrably replied, preparing a plate. He handed it to me and I reached for a nearby fork, but he caught my forearm. I noticed his hands were now covered and any traces of his birthmark were gone. "That's for him." He glanced towards his right and I turned to look at an elderly man sitting across the room in a dark corner.

"Oh," I said, stunned. The lack of customers the inn had made the presence of a stranger being inside my home unusual. "You know, you don't have to cook. I can do it," I offered politely.

"Impa hired me," he said flatly. "So don't worry. I can do it."

My mouth dropped open in surprise. "W-What?" I stammered, unable to process what he just said.

He raised an eyebrow. Then he calmly crossed his arms and provided me with a useless explanation. "She hired me," he repeated with slight annoyance. "I need a job to get some rupees for travel."

A sudden thought that hadn't occurred to me jumped into my mind. I leaned towards him and hissed accusingly. "Aren't you hunted? You're a danger to us!"

"I'm certain I killed all my pursuers." His response came crisp in an angry whisper. "There's no danger at all." We stared into each other eyes searchingly. His were wide with his brows furrowed; a warning sign to trust him glimmered in his dark blue irises. I resumed my normal posture and nodded. There was an earnestly inside them and a clear certainty that seemed to wash any doubts I had about him. He turned his back to me and continued cooking food.

I sighed and placed a hand on my cheek in frustration. I didn't mind his company, but his presence suddenly annoyed me, especially when he resumed the role of a commanding officer; cold and efficient with a hint of contemptuous towards me. Link's voice startled me a few seconds later when he commented that I "better serve the food before it gets cold." I shot him a nasty look behind his back as he concentrated on the eggs sizzling in the oil.

I picked up the plate and strode towards the man sitting in the dark corner. "There you are, sir," I smiled sweetly. He looked up and nodded in gratitude. "Enjoy your meal."

"I'm sure I will." His voice was gruff. Lupa trotted in and sat beside him with a hopeful look at his food.

"Lupa! You're not allowed in here!" I cried and waved her off. There was a slight grin as she ran out of the kitchen and into the lobby.

"Oh, I don't mind dogs," he said.

"Most customers do and I wouldn't want to ruin her training," I replied, the sweetness sucked out of my voice. He muttered something about the lack of customers. "Enjoy your meal," I said with false enthusiasm and walked away.

I returned to the bar stool and sat cross legged. Link was still cooking a plate of eggs and venison, and I watched him for a moment before I mustered some courage and spoke up. "About last night…" I started slowly.

"Here you go." He turned abruptly and placed a meal before me.

I glanced at it temporarily before staring at him hard. "About last night," I continued, louder. I watched as he poured his food onto a plate. "I'm sorry I overreacted."

He said nothing and sat next to me. Eating eggs, he looked out the window before finally answering: "I'm the one who should be sorry."

"Sorry for what? You were ill." Picking up the fork and stabbing a potato, I chewed politely as I waited for a response.

"No," he abruptly replied. Then he stabbed an egg in frustration, gathering his thoughts together. "Well, _yes_, I was ill. But I should have told you the truth for why I acted like that, and being ill was not the reason."

"Then what is?" I asked, eyeing him warily. I didn't know what he was trying to imply and his mixed answers weren't helping with my confusion.

He looked away from my glare and began answering slowly. "You remind me of…someone." He faced me suddenly and his eyes glanced away from mine immediately.

"Who?"

"Someone very dear to me," he continued. "She's long gone, but I still love her, and seeing you just revives those memories and feelings."

He waited for me to say something. His confession seemed so out of place that I didn't know how to react properly. "I'm sorry," I replied, reaching for his hand for comfort. It hovered above his for a moment before I pulled it away at the last second. "I didn't know…"

"It's all right." He glanced up from a curtain of hair. "I'm hoping she and I will meet again." He raised his head so that our eyes were at level. "And that she will remember the happy times we had together."

I gave him a small smile. He returned the smile and the sadness in his eyes vanished. We began eating in silence, and I cast occasional glances in his direction. He looked as if a large weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He caught me staring, and I looked away quickly, slightly blushing. Slowly, I risked another look and he was still staring at me. Unaccustomed to his intense attention, I felt a shy smile grow on my face and he returned it with laughter threatening to escape his curved lips. Finally I broke the silence.

"Link," I said. "Whoever she is, I hope she will find you, too."

* * *

The day blazed by fast and I struggled to keep up with the commotion around me. I wasn't used to this many customers and we were shorthanded—just Link and me—and Impa was nowhere to be found. Hardly any words passed between us since breakfast besides orders.

"I see that tonic is working," Link said behind the kitchen counter.

"What?" I shouted, barely hearing him. The dining room was now full with many people impatiently waiting for their orders. The _no vacancy _sign went up by evening, and Link and I were exhausted by the different jobs handed to us—the stable-hand, bartender, maid, chef, dishwasher, waitress, and hostess. Link was amazingly great at multitasking. He created drinks and flipped sandwiches easily, with the occasional trip to the stable if one of the customers had a horse. I felt terrible. My feet throbbed from standing so long and a headache was growing from all the noise around me. Still, I managed to keep my plastered smile on and I didn't spill a drink—yet.

"That potion I gave you last night, is it working?" Link asked.

"Huh? Oh, yeah! But I think I might need another one."

He laughed as if I had told a joke. It faltered once he saw how flat my face was. "All right," he said. "I'll make you one right now; just drown it quick because these guys are having a feast!"

While he was preparing that, I grabbed the platters waiting on the counter and served it to the full tables. Most of the customers were men and were travellers, merchants, or mercenaries. They eyed me hotly as I weaved through the tables and bent down to gather dirty dishes or set down food and drink. Their stares raised an uncomfortable feeling at the pit of my stomach, but I knew they didn't dare touch me. Impa had scared them _never_ do it when she learned of their intentions.

"You almost done with that?" I asked Link.

He examined the small glass of red liquid; a bright pink cloud flowed over the rim and disappeared at the bottom. "I have to be precise with this. Healing potions can have the opposite effect if mixed incorrectly."

I impatiently tapped my nails on the counter. "Hurry up! I've orders and they're not getting anywhere if you're not cooking." I was on edge, and my voice rang out so rudely that I didn't even recognize that it was mine. "Besides, aren't you a master alchemist?"

"Okay, okay." He curtly placed the drink in front of me. "But even masters can make mistakes."

I gulped the drink down, its warmth blossoming inside me, and felt refreshed as soon as I placed the empty glass down. "Thanks!" I swivelled on my heel, my skirts flying around me, and went to gather the dirty dishes.

Eyes were on my back as I walked to the far side of the room. I began cleaning the empty tankards on a table occupied by an eccentric couple. The woman was young, maybe a few years older than me, and had on heavy makeup and a tight dress that clung to her cleavage. The man was older by many years, but tall and well-built; his square arms and shoulders made the chair he sat on look small. They were in a passionate embrace and I chose to ignore the disgusting sounds that passed between their mouths.

When I finished placing the many tankards onto my platter, I returned to my full height and caught the man staring at me with a toothy grin. "Well, hullo there, princess. How ya doin'?"

I paled, my fear overcoming my pride and anger. The way he emphasized the word _princess _made me want to knock a tooth out of his mouth, and the way he looked at me made me want to run away, curl up, and hide.

Instead of doing either, I gulped and plastered on a strained smile. Bar fights were known to pop up around inns, even our sleepy one. "I'm doing fine, and yourselves?" I asked stiffly. The woman had daggers in her eyes as she looked me up and down. She was still sitting on his lap with her arms draped around him.

"I'm feeling kinda hungry," he said lustfully, and leaned towards me.

"I could—I could get you a meal?" I stammered, stepping away from him. His heavy hand landed with a _thud _on my shoulder, and I winced. Not in fear, but in pain.

"Oh, Theo, leave the poor girl alone!" Her voice was shrill, and seemed to catch his attention. "Let's go shopping and get me a dress for the Harvest!"

He said something obscure, and she shrank back in his lap. I started to walk away. Then he laughed robustly and leapt off his seat. "Sure, darlin'," he turned to me and placed rupees in my hand. "Have a good evenin'."

I watched them leave, flabbergasted at the strange exchange that happened between us. One moment he was flirting with me and yelling at his girlfriend, the next he left and paid me a good tip. The woman passed by me, on the way to the exit, and whispered: "Theo likes to scare pretty ladies." She tipped my chin up with her sharp nail, and ripped it away, leaving a nasty scratch on my throat.

This is why I disliked the Harvest. Many people were drawn to Faron to celebrate good crops, party, get drunk, or find a bedmate. The locals were the only ones who celebrated the Harvest for its core values, which was to thank Farore and her servants for an abundance of crops, or to pray that the next year will have a better yield. Those who flocked for social reasons filled the inns until there wasn't enough room to breathe. Most of these people were an assortment of unwanted guests who travelled in groups to cause mischief to the sleepy towns that offered food and bed. Others were loners who travelled to sell goods or seek treasure. They were often good with a sword and could trick people with their quick tongues. I avoided these troublemakers as much as possible. As much as they loved rupees, they loved a good drink, and with their hot tempers, bar fights seemed to be inevitable in any shop that sold it. I feared for the worst tonight as everyone around me began draining their tankards, singing and chattering loudly. The customers became rowdier and rowdier, and Link and I did not have the power to separate any fights that would arise. The only thing I could do was to gather as much rupees as possible to pay for the damages they'd make.

I sighed as I watched a man hopped onto a wobbly table, the mop bucket covering his head and the mop in his hand, dancing with it to an old song. Shortly after he tumbled down, due to his lack of vision and the state of the table, and everyone laughed. He got up, a bit shakily on his feet, and cried that he'd buy a round for everyone.

I marched over to Link, in case he didn't hear the drunkard's merrymaking, and noticed that a few women were hovering near him, ordering drinks and attempting to make talk with him. He was very busy, and the only way to speak to him was to order a drink. Many full goblets were next to them, and I felt amused at this sight. He was so oblivious to their advances, it was funny.

As I approached, the women frowned at me, and then looked coolly at each other as if they were telepathically conspiring against me. I ignored them and tapped Link on the shoulder. He turned around quickly. Seeing that it was me, relief washed over him and he smiled, sweat beads falling from his forehead.

"Stuffy in here, isn't it?"

"That's what happens when there's a crowd in a small room," I said, placing a platter on the counter. "I'm just glad no one's settled into their rooms yet." I couldn't imagine myself rushing between two different floors, cleaning and serving.

"I'm glad not many people have horses. And that they prefer drink over food," he said contemptuously. "I'm not a good cook, anyway."

Exhausted, I leaned on the counter, trying to relieve the pressure on my soles. "Of course you are," I said playfully. "Better than Impa and me, at least." He chuckled and a question leaped out of my mouth. "Do you know what happened to her?"

He leaned in closer. My muscles tensed at the proximity. He was so close, his breath blew warm against my face, sweet with the scent of cranberry. "She went off to hire more help because she knew this would happen because of that festival," he whispered. "But it shouldn't be taking this long. I'm wondering if anything bad happened to her, too."

Tears sprang to my eyes at the thought. Even though I was mad at her, I didn't want Impa to disappear!

"Zelda, Zelda, I'm sorry!" He put a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

I looked up at him, ignoring the killer stares from the women nearby, and smiled softly. "She'll come," I said to myself. "In the meantime, just keep working until she gets here."

He nodded. "Any orders?"

"Some drunkard ordered a round for everyone. He's going to regret it later when he sees that he's got empty pockets."

He turned immediately and filled flasks while I went back to my own work collecting empty plates and pitchers. For the whole time, I still felt the hot stares of men. Fortunately most were occupied by drinking and talking amongst themselves, casting a few admirable glances in my direction. The only table that watched me too much was in the centre, occupied by three young men. They looked to be mercenaries, judging by the small bits of armour around their shoulders and the weapons they kept in their holsters, and watched my every move. When I glanced back at them, I saw them whispering to each other. I gulped. I didn't want to go there, but they seemed to be not touching their drinks.

I walked up to them steadily, with an air of confidence, although I felt I didn't feel I had an ounce of it. "Good evening, are these empty?" I said, voice slightly quavering.

"Aw, how cute," one smirked. "The little wabbit is scared of us."

I had reason to. They all had battle scars and stubble growing out of their dirty faces. One held a cigar between his dirty teeth, another had an eye patch, but the most intimidating one was the one who talked and seemed to be the leader of their little group. He had a black eye, and a nasty scar jutting from his cheekbone to his chin. They were only a few years older than me, and it was sad that they were already travelling across the lost lands. Pity vanquished my fear a little. "Are these empty?" I asked again, my voice firmer.

"Of course," he said and the others snickered. "Give us another round of drinks."

I nodded. I definitely wasn't going to give them the free drinks the drunkard bought.

Link saw my pale face and said nothing, much to my relief. I hated acting scared, but I was always afraid of strangers, and the wolf attacks made me more skittish than ever. I smiled at him to shake the unease I felt.

"Three drinks, please."

"Platter's ready," he replied, nodding his head towards it.

I saw the platter with many drinks waiting on it, picked it up and served it to all the tables but the one with the young mercenaries. I could feel them watching as I hopped between tables, balanced the trays, carried platters and juggled cups.

An uneasy feeling was blossoming from the pit of my stomach when I returned to Link. He set the three tankards down, full of disgusting smelling alcohol—the standard and most popular drink in Hyrule—and brought them to the mercenaries.

When I approached them, I could see them in deep conversation, nodding and laughing, and I heard myself in it with the description of _little rabbit._

They immediately stopped their blabbering when I was in view. I set down their drinks, and from the corner from my eye, I saw them cast looks to each other. As I set the last tankard down, one of the men grasped my arm roughly. I turned white with fright, flinching at the sudden contact.

"Hey, girlie, why don't'cha take those ugly gloves off and show us some skin?" He pulled my face near his and I smelled the sourness of his breath. It was the man with the eye patch, and I could see and smell his teeth decaying.

"I-I'm good," I responded quickly. I was frozen with fear. Realizing that I was in a dangerous situation, I tugged away from him, but his grip was strong.

"Oh, c'mon now, don't be shy!" He pulled me closer to him.

I tried to make my voice full of authority. "Sir, if you don't let go now, I'm going to have to kick you out myself."

The three threw their heads back with laughter.

"Three versus one, girlie? That ain't good odds.," eye patch said.

The man with the scar smiled, "I'm thinking we should bring her back to our rooms. We've made a mighty mess there, and it needs some cleaning."

I panicked at the thought of being trapped in a bedroom with these three. "The owner of the bar won't allow it," I said swiftly. My arm was feeling numb with his tight grasp. I desperately wanted to fling my other arm at him, but I didn't want to start a bar fight. I'd get out of this with words, not violence.

"Impa? I don't see that old hag around here," the man with the cigar said bitterly.

I stared at them with shock. How did they know her name?

"We're free to choose as we please," he sneered. Eye patch was so close now and I felt his hand rubbing up and down my body. I couldn't breathe and started hyperventilating.

"Just-Just go somewhere else!" I stammered. "There are brothels around here for that sort of thing!"

They laughed again.

"You dun't understand," eye patch breathed. "We're already here."

"And it's night and we're drunk," scar face finished.

Without thinking, I bit the arm that was holding me. Eye patch screeched in pain and recuperated with a punch. Seeing his fist fly to my face, I dodged it quickly, falling to the floor in my haste.

"You bitch!" He screamed, rubbing his arm. Droplets of blood were falling from it and my mouth tasted metallic. I didn't know my bite was _that_ hard.

He lifted up his foot and it came down, knocking the wind out of me. I gasped for air, but none came in. Withering on the floor with pain, I felt like this was the end for me.

The bar was quiet, watching this little scene happen.

"Zelda!" someone shouted.

_Link. _

Then, all of a sudden, fights broke out, and the noise reached a new height.

I felt someone raise me up, and a strong blow went to my face. I winced in pain, and found that I had caught my breath. Well aware of what was happening now, I positioned my body so that I wouldn't fall down again. Legs apart, feet firm on the ground, shoulders relaxed and fists taut. I blocked another punch with my elbow, and amazingly, the man staggered back.

Through the entire clamour, I could hear eye patch clearly like we were having a normal conversation in the woods. "You're gunna get it now, girlie."

I breathed in deeply. "You should just stop fighting and leave while you have the chance." My muscles were flexed, ready to unwind and hit bone and flesh.

He just laughed before he charged at me like a bull. I dodged swiftly, and he ended up crashing into the wall.

Arms covered my chest, and a cold blade was held against my throat. I froze.

"That's a good girl." I recognized the voice as the man with the scar. "Don't move, don't scream, don't do anything. Just listen to me." I could feel his chest moving up and down rapidly behind me back. He was recently in a fight. "You're coming with us. Thanks to you, getting you out of here was simpler than I thought." I could feel the silent laughter from him as his chest shook. "Give me your right hand," he commanded, and I obeyed.

He pulled off the glove. Rubbing at the spot where my birthmark was, he examined it closely. I couldn't feel a response from him, but he slipped the glove back on and said, "Walk towards the exit."

I started towards it. I didn't have any choice.

Suddenly, I felt the blade shallowly cut my throat as we both fell to the ground.

"Zelda!" Link cried. "Run!"

The sound of metal rung through the bar as the scar-faced man unsheathed his sword. Link bent down and withdrew something shiny from his boot. _Daggers. _

"No!" I shouted, reaching for him on the ground. I wouldn't have bloodshed in this inn.

"Get out of here!" Link's voice was urgent.

I stood up and glanced at the exit. A few smart people were leaving, afraid of weaponry and death. Instead of joining them, I found my feet carrying me to Impa's room. She had a large chest up there that I was forbidden to open. I knew she hid weapons in there, and I wanted to help Link. Opening it, I grabbed two long swords and rushed downstairs.

The room was empty when I got back, save for four people. Link was battling the two mercenaries while the eye patched man was knocked out, leaning against the wall. Tables and chairs were strewn out of the way as the three exchanged blocks and hits. I gasped as Link's white top stained with blood.

"Link!"

He looked at me as well as the two others. I threw a sword at him and he caught it, throwing a dagger at a distracted man. It hit his sword arm and he yelled in agony. The sword dropped from his hand and Link held it against his throat.

"Get out of here."

The man opened his mouth and his cigar fell out. Seeing an opportunity to hit Link, the scar-faced man attempted to take a stab, but Link whirled around and parried it. The wounded man ran out, abandoning his friends.

"Coward," the scar-faced man muttered.

"Leave now." Link pointed his sword towards him.

His scar widened as he grinned. "I'm not leaving until I have the girl. If you back down and let me have her, I won't kill you."

"I'm not leaving with you," I said, making my way to stand beside Link. I gripped the sword in my hands, so tightly that my knuckles became white.

"Zelda, I'll handle this."

"No," I said flatly.

He pushed me aside and muttered something beneath his breath. A flash of blue wrapped around me, and I was trapped in a blue crystal. I tapped at it with my fists in anger. "Let me out!" I cried.

"Sorcerer!" The mercenary shouted in fury.

"Magic isn't that bad." Link shrugged his shoulders, and then dove for an attack.

I watched them as they danced together, weaving in and out of attacks, parrying a bad move, or blocking against a strong arm. They were both even in swordsmanship, but each man had their own advantage. Link was faster, quicker and lighter on his feet than the mercenary, and seemed to have wisdom in his sword as he judged and assessed the other man's plans. The mercenary was stronger and held more stamina. He never tired, and his attacks came stronger and harder. I saw Link struggle blocking when the mercenary's cold blade swung down. I watched in fear. Seeing someone I know die before me was something I didn't want to happen. Although the mercenary threatened me, I didn't want him to die either.

"Stop!" I kicked hard at the diamond around me. Shallow cuts lined each man's chest, blood blossoming like a flower as it bled through the fabric.

It was hours since they started fighting, and none of them seemed tired. I slunk into my spot, my legs feeling numb in the enclosed space. When would it end?

Then I heard Impa barge through the kitchen door. Her eyes widened in fury as she saw what happened to her beautiful inn. It was trashed and two men were battling, magic was casted with me inside it, and an unconscious stranger was lying on the floor.

I saw her face turn to me disapprovingly, and then her scornful frown stretched further as she eyed the mercenary.

"You!" she yelled.

The two men continued fighting, ignoring her. She placed a hand on the mercenary's shoulder, and he swung around to hit whoever was touching him. Her wrist shot up, and her gauntlet blocked the blow with a _clang_. Her hand twisted in the air as she unarmed him, her skin digging into the blade and blood seeping out. She didn't mind the pain, and cracked the sword in half. The mercenary gasped. Link immediately pointed a sword beneath the mercenary's chin.

"Surrender," he seethed.

The mercenary shot his hands up.

"What are you doing here?!" Impa shouted. I noticed four people piling into the inn, watching the scene unfold awkwardly. A girl tugged at them to exit, indicating that this conversation wasn't theirs to hear.

The mercenary shot her a smile, which faltered immediately under Impa's intense stare.

"Who are you and why are you here?" Impa repeated, this time digging out a dagger from her own pocket. She approached him, her eyes flashing angrily.

There was no response.

"I'm not going to ask again," Impa threatened. She held a dagger next to his ear, and slid it up and down, her dagger glowing in the moonlight.

The mercenary stepped back and swatted the dagger away. Link quickly restrained him.

Impa continued playing with the dagger against his skin. The dagger began to shallowly cut his scar, and he winced in pain.

"Ganondorf!" he finally cried out. "It was Ganondorf. Please don't torture me! Or kill me!"

Impa smiled. "Now, that's good and all, but I think I need further information."

"Like what?"

"Who are you, what are you and how did you find us? Why were you sent here?" she replied curtly.

"My name's Reynold. I'm a mercenary and we tracked her down." He glanced towards me. "We were given a list of women to spy on…anyone who looked like this." He tilted his head to a piece of paper that had flown out of his pocket. Impa walked towards it and gasped. "He commanded to us that there must be mark on her hand. Three triangles in the form of one," he continued. Then he smiled. "I don't know why he wants girls that look like that. Maybe he's lonely." Reynold chuckled at his inappropriate joke.

Impa ignored him and showed the photo to Link. His eyes widened, then his jaw clenched in anger.

"Uh, can I get out now?" I called, not wanting to miss out on what was happening. It seemed important, and I wanted to be part of it.

The diamond around me disappeared. I got to my feet, feeling faint from the sudden movement, and walked towards them.

"Can I see the picture?"

Impa handed it to me, and I studied it. The picture was worn, but it was filled with magic. Instead of a painting, it was a real life moment captured visually into a piece of parchment. The woman in it caught my eye. She looked exactly like me, but older, wiser and more elegant. She had high cheek bones and blue eyes that contained the aura of wisdom. Her eyes gloomed out of the dark sky behind her, and her pale skin matched the wavy hair adorned on her head. On her forehead, she bore a golden circlet with a simple triangle in the centre.

"Who is she?" I asked, amazed.

"That is Queen Zelda XVII of Hyrule," Impa said. "She was the last ruling monarch in the Harkinian royal line."

Link stared at Impa. He furrowed his brows and his eyes narrowed.

She turned to look at me, her face straight and her voice expressionless, but tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

"She was your mother."

* * *

**cringes **Gyah! In my noobish ways of a Zelda fanfic writer, I chose the royal family name of Harkinian (from those awful CD-i Zelda games) instead of Nohansen. For nostalgia's sake in those early days, Harkinian shall remain.


	6. Chapter 5: The False Princess

_a/n -_ I remember this one. It was so fun one to write and I recalled how proud I was of this chapter back then to even say that it was the greatest thing I've ever written. And it's also the last chapter I wrote last summer. Of course, there were tons of typos and punctuation mistakes because I didn't know how to write dialogue properly. I fixed it up, and now it's time to pick it up again! :D

* * *

**~ 5 ~**

**_The False Princess_**

* * *

"Mother?" My voice was barely a whisper.

Link and Impa watched me sway with worried eyes. Reynold was still tensed in Link's grip, but he wanted to let go, to come and see if I was all right. I clearly wasn't, though, and Impa could sense it. She reached towards me with an outstretched hand. My mouth twitched. I stumbled backwards, feeling my knees buckle below me, and was suddenly kneeling on the floor, shocked. Long hair blocked my blurred vision. I swatted it away furiously with one hand, the other brushing away tears with angry swipes.

"Mother?" I shouted. Like my voice, my body raised from the floor. "Why didn't you tell me if you knew who she was? And my father?" I spat.

Her head cowed. When she looked at me, there were tears in her eyes. My anger faltered. I never saw Impa cry before, and I felt guilty only for a second. No sympathy could cover the anger I was feeling inside my chest.

"I knew your mother," she said. She was quiet for a moment, thinking, before her voice resumed the natural commanding personality that I always knew. "Link, lock Reynold in a windowless room upstairs. I'll deal with him later."

Link nodded at her words and left with Reynold. We were alone. The only sounds were the wind howling outside and the fire crackling nearby.

"I better get the hired help inside," she said. She opened the door and called out four unknown names. They entered, briskly picking up chairs and overturned tables.

Gripping my hand, she pulled me to the empty drawing room before I had a chance to protest. "I'll tell you everything, but this may be a surprise to you. There is a reason why I hid the truth from you, and I hope you'll forgive me for everything, and that you understand why I never told you anything."

Hurt and anger summoned tears to my eyes again. I wanted to run away, but that would be a contradiction to my previous feelings. I wanted the truth, and the truth was going to hurt. I swallowed the lump of pain brewing at the back of my throat, and I gave a firm nod.

"Tell me everything." I tried to keep my words steady, but a crack formed at the end.

She pulled me down to a velvet cushion and sat across from me, her form solemn and her chin raised.

"I will not lie to you any longer," she said. "Your mother wished to keep your true existence a secret, even to yourself, and I did everything she asked until now. I was to tell you the truth when you reached your twentieth year, but circumstances force me to tell you now. Zelda." She held my hand tightly. I resisted the urge to pull away and looked into her bright red eyes. "You are still young, but are very wise. I'm sure you'll make the right choices with this information I'm about to tell you. I'm certain you'll absorb everything and consider the consequences, that you will think of your future actions and current decisions. We have to pull Hyrule together again. And it starts with you."

I nodded curtly, averting her gaze.

With a brave face, she grasped my hands. My head swirled with dizziness and I heard Impa's faint voice in the distance.

"This tale is a long and sad one. It should be written in history, but it will never happen because of Ganondorf's will."

I fought against a wave of nausea. It grabbed a hold of me and pinned me into alarm.

"What are you—"

_Relax, Zelda. This is the best way for you to understand._ Impa's cool voice sounded as if it were inside my head. It bounced around, echoing, and transformed into a headache.

Images followed, flickering in and out of the grey haze of my vision. It clouded over, before bright lights drew me into a vivid scene of blue skies and red mountains.

**xxxxxxx**

There was a little girl who lived with an odd family in their little village of Kakariko. Separated from society, the people in the village called themselves Sheikahs. They had their own customs and culture, which many Hylians considered alien.

A common trait among the Sheikahs was startling red eyes. Their piercing gaze scared many people, and tales of their existence spread across the lands, spreading rumours that they were monsters who seduced Hylians ripe in their years and sucked the blood dry from their throat.

Like her tribe, the little girl had these feared eyes. What distinguished her from the rest was her snow white hair and extremely serious nature. All Sheikahs were mysterious and serious, but the girl's upbringing and destiny were what differentiated her from the rest of her tribe. Many people, Sheikahs included, were frightened of her mature personality and inability to smile or laugh, frown or scowl. She was the Chief's daughter, so no one openly criticized her. But their stares and silent facial exchanges clearly stated their thoughts of her. The only respect the villagers had of her was that she would be the caretaker of the newborn princess.

Like many of their odd traditions, a Sheikah girl from the Chief's family would be sent to the castle at the birth of a princess. It had been five generations since the Harkinians had a daughter. They were ecstatic when they heard the news of the birth of Princess Zelda XVII, and a feast was held in honour of the chosen protector to be sent as her loyal caretaker.

The Chief's daughter knew her fate ever since she breathed her first breath. When she was born, her mother named her Impa, which meant protector in ancient Hylian. Faith and protection to the princess was drilled into Impa's mind at a young age. History lessons, ancient Hylian and long forgotten religious texts were the materials she read at the age of four. Learning ancient Hylian would aid Impa in future lessons of magic when the princess was of age to attend studies with her. When Impa mastered the skill of walking, hand-to-hand combat was her exercise. In her mother's eyes, Impa was the very embodiment of the Sheikah's existence. There had never been an excellent candidate for the princess's protector. The Sheikahs were only in Hyrule to serve and protect the chosen princess of Nayru.

Impa wasn't sad when she left the village at five. She was excited for her new future, the very job she had been training for all her life. The king laughed when her mother presented her to the royal family, and his guffaw gnawed the hidden nervousness in her knees.

"A child to protect my infant daughter?" His stomach shook with laughter. "Ridiculous!"

Determination set in Impa's face. Practice dummies were set in the hall to demonstrate her capabilities. She slowly withdrew her knives, flashing them in the king's red face for show, and dashed towards her targets. One by one, their wooden limbs were cut off in a matter of seconds. At the end of the hall, five small apples were placed in random positions. The Chief tossed her five arrows and a bow. The king blinked. To his astonishment, each arrow pierced each apple.

He gulped down fear as Impa continued presenting her capabilities to him. She was fast, strong, and had larger knowledge than even the king. She started reciting the _Hyrule Historia, _but he waved her off.

"Why is she so talented? A child of five who demonstrates abilities far more powerful than a grown soldier, scholar, and archer!"

The Chief explained to him. "My daughter is the chosen protector of your daughter. Her hair is white, a rare characteristic among our people. It is well known that Sheikahs with this uncommon trait have many abilities that are incredible. They learn quickly, they are strong and fast. They can survive on little sleep and food if need be. Every princess who ever lived in the Harkinian royal line had a protector that looks like my daughter." She stroked Impa's long feathery hair. "She might be young, but if you continue to train her along with your daughter, Impa will ensure the best protection we have to offer. A royal guard will be unnecessary when you have a Sheikah."

"You have already proved me wrong. This child is better than the men on my royal guard!" He snickered. "I have no choice but to accept your offer. She will learn along with my daughter in private lessons, and will grow more powerful each day. You are sure she will never stray from my daughter?"

"Your daughter's command is her will, Your Majesty." The Chief bowed.

"I will accept. Thank you, Chief Elra."

She bowed and exited, leaving her daughter. When the large double doors closed, Impa never felt so lonely in her life. She had known that she would never see her mother again when she was training. But she never knew it would be real, that it would be so soon.

A single tear rolled down her tanned cheek.

The old king spoke softly in his high throne. "Come, child, I'd like you to see my pride and joy."

**xxxxxxx**

The king's newborn daughter called for a celebration throughout the lands. Many people flocked towards Hyrule City. The city was ablaze with happy tunes of ocarinas, lutes, harps, and the loud voices of Hyrule's joyous citizens. The celebration lasted a week, drinks were passed and new friends were made. It had been four hundred and fifty years since the birth of a princess. It was believed that a female ruler brought happiness to the kingdom. Every time Hyrule experienced such prosperity, it was usually due to brilliant queens. As the Harkinian legacy demanded, the king was a traditional man and undoubtedly named his daughter Zelda, a common name in the kingdom of Hyrule. The people were excited when she would grow and knew she would be a wonderful ruler.

Impa watched from the window as fireworks burst in the night sky. It was a happy time, but with the birth of a princess came great danger. No one knew what would come except the Sheikahs, an ancient tribe who knew the truth of Hyrule's ancient past and creation.

The birth of the princess brought such happiness. It was scary to think that her existence was an omen from the goddesses. There was an evil danger brewing in Hyrule, and its ugliness would run rampant as the princess matured.

Impa cast a glance to Princess Zelda. She was sleeping blissfully in the crib, unaware that her mother had flown to the heavens after giving life. Impa wondered if the girl would ever ask questions of her deceased mother, Queen Taibreth. Although the young Impa hadn't thought of it yet, the absence of a mother would pull the two girls close into a bond of sisterhood.

For many years, Impa considered herself the princess's servant, but through classes and living close, the two soon became best friends. They grew together, and Impa was certain that Zelda would be the chosen of Nayru. She waited for the mark to glow on the top of her hand.

A sudden twist of fate occurred on the twenty-ninth day of April. It was a very important day, for it was the princess's sixteenth birthday. She was now of age and agreed to marry Prince Basarian of Alleria. Many of the guests adored the princess, and had no complaints of the union of Hyrule and Alleria. They were quite excited, and as such, the grand engagement and birthday party were held in the royal hall of the palace.

Such a public event made Impa nervous. She examined her surroundings. The party room had only one exit, which were the large iron doors that took time and effort to open. The stone walls were two stories high, and beautiful windows aligned the top. The lower wall held ornate decorations, but no windows. The room was like a fortress. It would be hard to get in, but it would be hard to get out.

She frowned at the men stationed at the sides. They were new recruits, as the experiences soldiers were sent to the Desert War. She didn't trust their shiftiness, their absence of bravery.

She watched the oblivious guests dance and chat beneath the grand chandeliers. The party's buzzing seeped out of the castle windows and woke the villages. Those not attending still wished the best for the new couple, and fireworks exploded in the dark skies.

Royalty sat at the end of the hall, accepting well wishes and gifts from the long line forming. Zelda smiled, thinking that this was the happiest day of her life.

Her smile twisted when the top windows exploded. Stained glass rained upon the guests and glimmered like jewels in the soft glow of the chandeliers. The guests immediately threw their arms around their heads, bending down to avoid injuries. The loud noise and shock stunned her. Zelda couldn't hear anything but a dull ringing in her ears.

Chaos erupted.

The guests shrieked and surged towards the exit. Guards lining the walls went into action, watching the broken windows with their weapons. Arrows arched through the high windows, falling directly on guards and guests. Panic escalated as the remaining guards abandoned their posts and joined the crowd surrounding the exit.

Impa's first thought was to defend the princess. She leaped from her position across the hall, pushing through the dawdling crowd. The king was collapsed in his chair, and Zelda and Basarian attempted to wake him.

"Father!" she cried, tugging his blue robes.

Impa approached them and assessed the situation. The king, with his poor health, looked like he fainted at the loud disruption. She picked up the cup he was drinking from his limp hand and raised it to her nose. It had a weak smell to it, but she detected the sickly sweet smell coming from its contents.

"Deathweed," Impa murmured, setting down the cup. She quickly turned towards the young couple. "Did any of you drink or eat this evening?"

Zelda's attention remained on her frail father. She hadn't heard Impa's question and continued to tug on the king's arms.

Basarian answered for them. "No. We were too busy entertaining our guests."

Impa''s tensed face loosened a little. She glanced around the room. It was empty, save for the bodies lying on the golden floor. Most were still, but some were moving, quivering with pain and calling for help. She looked away.

"Quickly, we must leave." She grabbed Zelda's shoulders.

Zelda shook out of her grasp. "No! I'm not leaving without my father!" She clung to him and listened to his shallow breaths.

The king was still alive. But he was paralyzed and dying.

"There is no hope for him."

The words that left Impa's lips summoned tears to the young princess's eyes. She seemed to cling harder to him, hiding her face within his chest like the little girl she once was.

"What happened to him?" Basarian asked.

"He has been poisoned. We must leave immediate—"

Out of the corner of her eye, Impa caught a figure in black between the iron doors. Silver gleamed within the dark corridor. She pounced on Zelda, knocking her to the ground as an arrow pierced through the air and landed in the king's heart. Impa withdrew a dagger from her hip and flung it across the room hard as she could. It dug into its target, and a loud moan joined the others.

Zelda was still by her father's side. Blood stained his robes and gurgled from his mouth. Violent breaths shook his chest before he breathed his last. He was still, his frightened eyes vacantly staring into the distance.

"He is in a better place now," Impa consoled.

All Zelda could do was cry. She wiped her tears away, straightened her back, and trembled at the wounded's pleas. With one last lingering look at her father, she stared into Impa's eyes, steadied her shaken self and said, "Let us go."

A series of corridors passed them as the couple followed Impa's charge. Hostiles blocked their path, but she defeated them as fast as she could. She needed the new queen and king to be safe as possible, and safety was promised far away from the invaded castle.

At last they reached their destination. They were underground in the king's most prized room: the wine cellar. At the thought of her father, Zelda sobbed. Basarian wrapped his arms around her.

"This is as far as I go," Impa said, kneeling on the cold ground.

Her hands searched the stone. A square of the floor was raised a little higher than the rest. She pulled it up with her nails and opened the hidden trap door. All that was seen was a black square in the ground. A cold wind leapt from it and blew angrily in the wine cellar.

She whispered ancient Hylian and a white light glowed within the palms of her hands. She unfolded them and handed the floating magical light to Basarian. He idly took the candlestone.

"This passage only has one exit. At the end of the tunnel, you will come to the woods. I have placed a horse near a birch tree. Use it and go to Alleria for reinforcements," she explained. "Farewell."

Basarian nodded. "But where will you go?"

By the time he had asked, she was nowhere to be seen.

**xxxxxxx**

The war and invasion subsided within four months. The attackers were identified as Gerudo, and they attempted to assassinate the royal family under orders of Ilanyu, the leader of the Gerudos.

With the help of Allerian forces, the Hylians recaptured the castle within three months. With careful planning, the Hylians and Allerians defeated the Gerudos in the Desert War. Hyrule almost fell under Gerudo reign.

After several weeks of interrogation and espionage, Impa found out that the Gerudos were after Hyrule's lands and riches. The women wanted more land as their desert mines became barren. With no source of income, they felt that the only way to survive was to capture more lands and resources for their own people. This revelation was somewhat a part of the truth.

An unknown youth was scurrying in Hyrule's castle walls. Impa caught sight of him, his tattered clothes fluttering behind him and his bare feet staining the royal blue carpets. She halted him, grabbing him by the wrist in case his feet continued running.

She scrutinized him from head to toe. He had a distinct look to him; his eyes were amber and gold with flecks of orange, a handsome square contour lined his tanned face, and his hooked nose occupied most of it. She panicked. He was unmistakably Gerudo.

"Who are you?" She demanded.

He looked around, as if someone would save him from this ferocious woman.

Impa shook him.

"I am Ganondorf, my lady," he answered. He tried to bow, but Impa's grip tightened, and he grimaced instead.

Her eyes widened. "Ganondorf of the Gerudo?" She asked.

He nodded, grinning.

Her grip loosened as her already racing heart beat faster. Could he be the Gerudo King reincarnated?

The boy broke free of her grasp and his scrawny legs ran. Impa shouted in alarm and chased after him.

He knocked over armour, paintings, chairs, anything that lined the tall halls of the castle. She nimbly evaded the obstacles and eventually caught up. This time she grabbed him from behind. Her slender arms wrapped around his neck and she held a dagger to his throat. She didn't care if he was young. She wouldn't let him run away again.

"Don't run. If you do, blood will spill," she said coolly. He nodded. "Good. We will be going underground to visit Ilanyu. We'll see what she has to say about this."

Ganondorf gulped.

They descended the stairs to the dungeons. Impa grasped his elbow, keeping a close eye on the boy. She would not let any surprises lower her guard.

The first cell the stopped at was occupied by Queen Ilanyu. She sat staring at water droplets sliding slowly down the limestone wall, cross-legged. At the sound of their approach, she swiftly stood and faced them.

"Still got warrior reflexes, I see," Impa said from the shadows.

She inclined her head at Impa's remark and crossed her arms.

"Prouder than ever, even in confinement." Impa stepped into the candlestone hanging from the ceiling. The white light transformed her face into a ghostly apparition.

Ilanyu didn't respond. Instead, she glared at her visitors. Her eyes lingered on the tall figure in the shadows. Recognition betrayed her, and her eyes flashed with panic as they flickered towards Impa. Confusion plastered on her worried face.

Impa smiled. "Yes, this boy is a Gerudo."

Ilanyu regained her steel composure and scowled. "No, he is not," she said flatly, keeping her eyes levelled with Impa's hard gaze.

She pulled him into the light. He looked sickly in its pale clarity. Dirtiness covered every inch of his body; his skin sagged at the lack of muscle mass and essential fat his thin frame held. The only saving grace of his appearance was the thick hair that tumbled down in a sea of red waves. But even oil and grime made his naturally thick hair look limp.

Ilanyu's face filled with shame. She looked away from the boy. Pain shone in both their eyes.

"His name is Ganondorf. I have strong reason to believe that he is the true leader of the Gerudos, being that he is the only male Gerudo."

Ilanyu denied Impa's statement.

"Tell me the truth, Ilanyu, or this boy will not see the light of day." Impa's dagger pinched his skin. The shallow cut brought forth red droplets, and they rolled down his dirty forearm. He flinched at the sudden pain.

Ilanyu gasped. She clamped a hand over her mouth and faced the wall.

"He is not Gerudo," she said slowly.

"Are you sure? He looks like it to me." Impa dug the blade harder into his skin. This time he screamed as the blood poured out.

"Yes! He is. Just stop. _Please_." She clung to the bars restraining her from rushing forward. "Stop hurting him. Don't kill him. He's my son," she cried. Her hands slid down the rusty bars as she curled her frail body on the floor, defeated.

The dagger hung loose on Impa's belt. That was the answer she was searching for, but she wanted more information. She decided to press the weakened woman in her most vulnerable state.

"If he is your son, then why is he not leading the Gerudos? He is obviously of age."

"He is too childish," she lied.

Impa saw through it and brought out the dagger again. At the sound of it being unsheathed, Ilanyu looked up, her golden eyes glowing in the dark.

"He was a secret. He was to be our salvation," she said between sobs. She decided to comply with Impa's questions. All she wanted was for him to be safe, to live.

"Go on," Impa said. She was beginning to get upset at the slow pace. She only wanted Hyrule to be safe from any threats, to experience peace and prosperity once again. The sooner Ilanyu's secrets were uncovered, the sooner Hyrule would be free of threats.

"The Gerudo King always leads us to riches. It is written in legends. I was rejoiced when I discovered my child was a boy," she said quickly. "Then our mines ran out of precious metals and jewels. I gathered my sisters and we devised a plan to conquer other lands. It would be easy. We are the best thieves and warriors in Hyrule." Impa yawned. All this she had already heard. "We would conquer every inch of Hyrule's lands. And the king of it all would be my son."

"You still didn't answer my question," she said impatiently, her red eyes blazing, her voice growing louder. "Why isn't he the Gerudo King when he's meant to be?"

Ilanyu grinned. "He is more powerful than you'll ever know. He is meant to rule all of Hyrule, not just the desert." She glared at Impa. "We kept him a secret from others like you." Impa grimaced. "We all know his true fate. No one can stop him. Not even the Chosen Hero."

She laughed frantically. All Impa felt was a feeling of despair and unease in her gut as she clutched onto the menace that was once the great demon Demise.

**xxxxxxx**

An intricate white braid flew behind her as she ran, whipping this way and that. Impa was in a rush. She couldn't believe her ears that something so disastrous—so impossible—could happen. She hoped that the guard's words were false, that they were only a cruel joke meant to poke at her sides. Embarrassment she could handle, but worry always ate up inside her. She willed it to remain inside her stomach, to never release it and show it to the world.

Descending the stairs, her mind plummeted as she went deeper into the dark dungeon. Her face remained taut as she approached the crowd of guards obscuring her view, and her heart skipped a beat at their commotion.

"What in Hyrule happened here?" one said, flabbergasted.

"Beats me. Looks like she vanished in thin air. _Poof!_" another said.

The group laughed, but their merriment fell silent in a hush at Impa's appearance. They moved out of her way as she cautiously approached the metal bars. With her red gaze, they always thought she was angry. Whatever emotion she was feeling at the moment did not show on her calm face. Her footsteps grew silent on the stone floor, and she was anxious at what laid behind the bars. She didn't want to look. She knew she would be terrified. But the safety of the queen was what made her peer into the darkness.

It was empty.

The confirmation of her worst fear was real. She suppressed a gasp and flashed her angry eyes to the crowd.

"Where is she?" she said.

They were silent, staring at the ground below them.

"_Where is she?_"

A brave soul spoke up in a murmur. "We-We don't know, my lady."

_Imbeciles. _They were all unreliable. She was the only one who could do anything, who could protect the royal family. With a twist of her heel, she flew into the light shining at the top of the dungeon stairs.

**xxxxxxx**

Happiness was what she felt on that cold summer's day. Although the sky clouded over and cried grey mists, Impa felt like the sun was still shining, hidden behind the red mountains near her hometown. After seven years of a happy marriage, the royal couple bore a beautiful daughter. Tradition named the girl Zelda, but her mother always called her Aubrie, her chosen middle name.

A week after her birth, the queen called an audience from Impa. She immediately stopped staring at the map of Hyrule, dropped her notes, and arrived as quick as she could at the queen's quarters.

"Yes, Zelda?" she asked after being let in, smiling. This would be the first time she had a look at her goddaughter.

Her smile disappeared once she saw the worry in Zelda's eyes. She approached the young mother, who cradled the baby tight to her chest. Her daughter was wrapped neck down in a pale blanket, despite the summer's heat.

"What is it?"

Zelda surveyed her surroundings with suspicion, then gestured Impa to come closer. "Look," she said, pulling down the soft cotton blanket. She gently took her daughter's right hand out and held it at an angle where Impa could see.

Impa's eyes widened. She rubbed the disbelief out of them as she stared at the child's hand. Three grey triangles formed, their edges too perfect to be ordinary. "She is marked by the Goddesses," she murmured.

To her surprise, the queen sobbed. She cried and cried, her warm tears ruining her pretty face. The child, upset at the noise, cried with her.

Finally, she took a shaky breath, rocking her daughter back and forth. "Yes," she admitted. "She is marked. And I do not know what to do."

The queen had always been calculating. The woman who always had a plan up in her sleeves, the girl who had carried Impa's forgotten textbooks when they trotted off to class together. She was the queen everyone relied on, who made them happy, fulfilled their grand expectations. As a last and final tear ran down her cheek, Zelda looked at Impa helplessly, and an understanding passed between them.

The one person who depended on her the most was the one person who she could not help.

Impa had never seen a woman so strong in her most vulnerable state. It was eerie to see the queen weak and frail; her tears hadn't shed since her father passed.

"Impa, my dear friend, sister," she said at last. "If anything ever happens to me, I want you to give my daughter this." She groped around her neck with one hand, the other balancing her joy and fear. Gold gleamed as she pulled the simple necklace out of its hiding place. "As you well know, I've never taken this off…until now," she smiled wistfully.

Impa leaned forward and helped her unlatch the chain. A small triangle hung loose, its warm colour reassuring and blinding.

"Keep it," Zelda continued. "I know something will happen to me. Ilanyu escaped years ago, and I suspect that she will make a return now that an heiress is born. She will show no mercy, but she will be wiser now that her first attack has failed." She looked out the window into the dark night. "As an old man once said, 'to reach your destination, one must travel on a path of failures.'"

Impa did not like the queen's lament. It was like she had simply given up her old self—strong values, happy nature, ambition and all. Her very virtues had fallen ill and replaced with a sickly thing. She simply could not stand her cynical attitude because, in all their years together, Impa never seen this side of her. It was depressing. And it made her angry.

"Ilanyu will not break through the castle walls. She will _never._"

Her outburst shocked the child and mother. The infant began crying again, and Zelda hushed her gently. When she fell asleep, the women immersed into a quiet conversation.

"I know. I know she will. I can feel it in my blood." Her voice was shaky with anxiety. "Promise me, Impa. Promise me that you will protect my daughter as you have protected me." She grabbed her hand tightly.

Zelda's old fire burned bright again, and it comforted the royal protector. "I-I will. You know I will. Your daughter is of my kin, just like you."

They smiled at each other. An ease passed between them. Zelda was comforted by Impa's words, as Impa was comforted by Zelda's old self.

"Thank you," the queen said, and slept with the child in her arms.

Impa left the castle to think about Zelda's change in character. It was rare for a mother of a child to undergo extreme changes, and Impa thought Zelda was one of those rare cases. She sighed. She didn't think she could handle the queen's new outlook on life, her depressive nature. In truth, she wanted to flee the castle, or at least avoid the queen altogether. But she didn't. The new princess willed her to stay. And so did the queen's promise and fear.

**xxxxxxx**

On the princess's fifth year, disaster struck. It was like the queen was a fortune weaver. She knew when it would happen. She knew who would attack. Their motives. The deaths in the castle. It was eerie, and Impa never saw such a thing except in legends of old, where the royal princess had visions of danger and powers far beyond the natural. Impa watched the royal family in the sidelines during those long five years, wondering if the queen really was the chosen royalty, but the hand on the five year old told her otherwise.

And that hand needed to be concealed. It had been throughout the child's life with powerful magic. It wasn't suspicious at all. Zelda would cast an illusion that her hand bore no mark. Zelda loved her daughter and did everything she could to protect her. She even made the child's existence disappear.

The king wondered why his daughter's birth wasn't announced, celebrated or spoke of in the castle. Zelda shushed his questions, reassuring that their daughter's secrecy was for the better good, that Ilanyu would never strike her down if she remained undiscovered. His questions ceased, but the servants' whisperings never did.

Impa's steel glare stopped their words cold in their tongues, but somehow, at the wrong time, a sentence flew into the air and landed into the ears of a spy. The spy managed to deliver the odd news of a royal child living in the castle walls, and with that, Ilanyu spun a plan and attacked with full force.

The sighting of a large army surprised the castle, and Basarian ordered all his men to arrange themselves and prepare for battle in the dead of night. Rocks hit the stone walls of the castle, and the little girl cried, clutching her mother's skirts. Zelda ignored her, shouting at Basarian. Her distress put more fear in the child, but it quieted to see her mother become loud and scary.

"What is happening right now?" Zelda asked, still in her nightgown and upset at her rude wakening.

"We are being attacked," he replied gruffly, and turned his attention towards and captains to prepare for battle. Zelda's face whitened and she grasped her child's hand protectively. "Put more archers along the walls, wake the men and get me more armour!" He roared.

"You mustn't fight, Basarian! We must leave now. She will win, and if we don't go…" Her thoughts wandered off and she never finished her sentence.

Basarian was surprised at her assertiveness. "What in Hylia's name happened to _you?_" he asked.

She ignored his gaping mouth and insisted, her voice increasing in anger as she watched him ignore her and shrug on his golden armour. "I'm telling you, husband. If we do not leave right now—"

Golden swirls danced before them suddenly, dead autumn leaves flickering in the cold wind of the night. They shielded their eyes with their hands from the yellow light, and Zelda forced her daughter behind her.

The first thing she saw were amber eyes—cold, menacing, calculating. They were surrounded by a cruel face the colour of dull mud; a curling snarl on thin lips lay below his large hooked nose. He was an intimidating man, just by his face alone. But his large framed body towered over them—even her husband who always was a head taller than everyone in a crowd. Black armour shone in the starlight—armour she had never seen before—and his cape was embroidered with intricate symbols and shapes that made her dizzy by looking at it. This strange man, whoever he was, did not come from Hyrule. She gulped back fear as she gazed up at him boldly.

"Transporting by magic into the castle is illegal." Because his sudden appearance frightened her, she had nothing else to say besides the facts she carried and lived by in her mind.

Basarian lurched forward nervously, steel in his hand. "And who might you be?" He asked profoundly, hoping the high volume of his voice would make up his body's nervous betrayal. "Friend or foe?"

His already smiling face seemed to smile even further. He said nothing as he disarmed Basarian with the flick of his wrist. The loud clanging brought tears to the princess's eyes once again, and with those tears came the inevitable shrieking of a scared child.

"Mama, I'm scared!" she wailed, hugging her mother's knees.

Basarian looked at Zelda for a brief second, conveying an idea that flowed only between the two. At whatever cost, they needed to protect the girl.

The strange man, distracted by the child, spoke. "Ah, now, is this the young princess everyone is so secretive about?" He bent down to examine her closer. He reached for her right hand, but she spat at his face.

He was blinded. Zelda and Basarian acted quickly. She pushed her daughter towards the darkness, humming a soft tune beneath her breath as she gazed at her. Basarian reached for his sword.

As the light twirled around her daughter's small body, Zelda cried urgently, "Go to the cellars! There is an exit there. We'll find you when this is all over. We'll find you, we promise!"

The man rubbed the saliva out of his eyes, cursing. He grabbed his blade just in time to block Basarian's blow.

The king saw the light engulf her body, but still saw her face crying above the light. In the heat of the moment, he called out his last words: "Run, just _run!"_

A cold steel bit his flesh. He cried out and crumpled to the floor, paralyzed with pain. The man kicked his bleeding body away and approached the queen, reaching for her hand. She attempted to run, but his large hand grabbed her wrist.

He smiled, bringing her hand higher and higher into the air, her feet floating above the ground. She withered in pain as he tightened his hold on her. Finally, they were at eye level.

"Queen Zelda," he breathed. He looked at her with mad eyes. She felt as if they stripped her clothes off her very skin until there was nothing left but her aching soul to glare at. She lowered her eyes as he spoke further in his deep, gravelly voice. "I have found you. And you shall be _mine._"

Her eyes flashed up at him angrily. "No," she said. "_Never_." She scrambled out of his grasp, kicking him hard in the stomach in her fight to escape. She couldn't do anything in his hold.

At last, after struggling, she stilled herself. There was no point in kicking a tree if it couldn't feel pain. "What do you want?" She breathed heavily, exhausted.

He lowered her, his lips curling back into that aggressive smile. His face was so close to hers that she noticed that he was young, that he was impeccably Gerudo, that he was Ilanyu's son. She felt the pit in her stomach deepen at this realization.

He leaned in closer. "I want the princess chosen by the goddesses," he whispered into her ear. Pain erupted through her, from that abyss that held all her fears. Panic seized her as she slumped onto his shoulder.

When he pulled away, the queen fell to the floor, dead.


	7. Chapter 6: Of Royalty

a/n - So I tried doing something new. Tell me if you think it is silly, weird, or pretty cool. It's repetition of the 'princess, queen, royalty' thing. I don't know if it turned out all right, so please tell me your reaction to it. Did you laugh at how silly it sounds, or did you feel the shivers of something that's well written? I'd like to know! :)

_Update: _Yes, it's been forever since I last updated this little ol' fic of mine. I shall try to finish this before Fall 2017. That's my goal. :D

* * *

**~ 6 ~**

**_Of Royalty_**

* * *

Pain erupted throughout my body, tearing my muscles apart, stretching them until I screamed. The scene of the queen draped across the floor, limp, _dead,_ and the man towering above her covered in shadows faded out into the world where I was now, where Impa stared at me concentrating, red eyes glowing, and of Link, who had returned downstairs to watch this catastrophe. His face blurred and the dead queen came into focus, and I screamed some more, I screamed as if it would dull the pain pounding against my skull.

The cry of anguish ripped through my throat, dragging itself, coursing with anger. I cried until I could scream no longer, the scream a hoarse whisper scraping itself against the flesh of my throat. I had no tears to spare. I had no more cries. I had nothing.

"My mother," I murmured, the world fading in. It was all a blur. Everything was muted. I couldn't even see Link's facial features clearly, couldn't even hear him clearly as he murmured words of sorrow, of comfort.

My heartbeat stopped. I had a mother. She was queen. She was _dead. _

_I am a princess._

_I am a queen._

_I am royalty._

"She was my sister—"

"You were her protector!" I cried, pointing an angry finger her way. I wanted to yell at her, to hit her, to scrape a nail against her cheek, to show the pain I felt now—emotional and physical. She knew. She knew all these years. _And she never told me._

Without warning, I raised a hand, fully intending to harm Impa. It faltered as the pain exploded in my head, ceasing its accusation as it came to aid. I placed my hand where the pain throbbed at my temple, hoping to stop it. I winced, crumpling against warm arms.

"You shouldn't have done that!" Link shouted, his voice resonating inside his chest. I listened, imagining a volcano threatening to erupt. I needed to get out of here. I needed to leave, to cool down, lest I explode in rage as well. "She hasn't been exposed to telepathy. She isn't used to it."

Warmth welled inside my heart, its heat rising until it clouded over my chest, over my throat, through my arms and to the tips of my fingers.

"Link…" I mumbled weakly, the heat rising, the pain flowing with it. I looked at my hands, red with veins popping out, and the symbol against my hand throbbed with red light. I gulped. _What was happening to me?_

"I did what I had to do," a voice, cold, sinister, bold, brutal—a warrior of ice. "She needed to learn what happened that fatal night.

My fingertips glowed orange, and searing hot light pulsed. Link and Impa didn't notice, their eyes on each other, his arms wrapped around me, Impa's fingers curled around the dagger strapped to her thigh.

"Link…" I moaned, and I fumbled to unfurl myself away from him. His grip tightened as a fearsome snarl crossed his face.

Trying desperately to escape his embrace, I fought against him, pushing at his torso.

"You are selfish," a quick whip of scorn. Impa gasped. "You only did that to show her your side of the story, to show that you're not a villain. And it hurt her, yet you did it!"

At the last second, I pushed Link away with all my strength, screaming as I collapsed to the floor, hands pointed outwards. The scorching pain shot out through my fingers, blistering them with tiny shards of knives, shedding the delicate skin until it felt like it was bleeding, boiling the blood beneath. Orange, red, yellow—plumes of smoke unfurled, curling, shooting out from my fingers, dispersing into a large cloud. It landed everywhere, caught on everything, engulfed the furniture.

Link recovered swiftly, letting me exhaust the fire magic tearing through my hands. It felt as if I were on fire, as if I was melting from the intense flame. I cried. I sweated. I swore. The blood beneath me was burning itself, was burning my body from the inside out. When the fire was gone, my vision turned to darkness.

* * *

_ "__What do you think of this?" a young woman asked, her voice sweet, chirpy, and full of melody. She shoved a book to him, grinning. Her face matched the happiness in her, with full cheeks, a sharp chin, and blue eyes that seemed to glow and exude joy, that always seemed to smile, that always had a spark in it. _

_The young man next to her sat against a tree trunk, eating a strange spiked fruit. He munched on it, the juice flowing across his tanned face. The lightest blue eyes sparkled beneath his messy, dark blond hair, and he smiled a toothy grin that held the remains of the fruit._

_ "__Are you honestly reading that legend again?"_

_ "__It is interesting!" she replied, continuously shoving the pages against his shoulder. Link did nothing. "The goddess Hylia and her chosen Hero," she sighed, leaning against the trunk and retreated the book, placing it against her chest. "Oh! How romantic!"_

_"__I can't believe you're reading those again. On vacation!" he scoffed. "You know that's for homework. Horwell is always ranting about your excellent study skills. I don't want him to shun me again with your exemplars and my empty hands." _

_ "__Honestly, Link!" Zelda cried, jumping up with a playful hop in her step. Blond bangs swished in the wind as she placed her hands on her hips, head poked out in intimidation. "You never take things seriously and you're always so lazy!" She leaned against the tree trunk, crossed her legs, and sighed, as if there were nothing to do with his attitude. Another glint in her eyes lit them up, and she smiled mischievously, looking down at him as he gazed off into the clouds that surrounded them. "By the end of this summer, I am going to make a student out of you. You'll even outshine me."_

_Link looked up at her and rolled his eyes. "Try me," he said, and tossed the fruit's core onto the grass. _

_Challenge and determination gleamed over her eyes as she stared down at him, hard._

_ "__I will." _

* * *

_"__No!" she cried, running to the man in green. Blood covered him, his tunic cut, the metal beneath shining in metallic red. "Link!" His name gurgled out of her as the tears choked her throat. He felt so far away, sitting there in the pond where the leaves blew above, dancing and swaying in tune with the breeze, and where the water streamed by, carrying the blood that poured from him. _

_At last, she reached him, letting the water go up to her knees, allowing the mud beneath to eat up her ankles. With effort, she pulled out of the mud, with determination, she waded to him, the pristine white dress behind her trailing like pale seaweed. _

_She touched his cheeks–goddesses, he was so cold–and placed an ear above his nose. Short, quiet breaths, hot and alive, pushed against her side of her head. Relief washed over her, the fear gone. She searched for any wounds, found a large gash as she pulled up his tunic. It took all her restraint not to gasp and vomit. Flesh and blood mixed and mingled, a bone jutted out in a deformed angle. He was lucky it wasn't his torso. It was his arm that was injured._

_She ripped a dry part of her dress out and wrapped it around his bicep tightly. He groaned as she lifted him out of the water and dragged him along the bank. When she made a fire, and when the stars shone brightly out, only then did he wake up, groggy with a faint voice. _

_ "__Zelda?" he said, barely audible._

_She turned from the fire that cooked a fish she had caught and stared at him, amazed that he had awoken, amazed that he wasn't panicking at the state of his arm. _

_He attempted to rise from his makeshift bed of reeds and long grass, but he winced and abruptly fell down, whining some more like a hurt wolf. _

_ "__Aw," he groaned, withering in pain. "It hurts so. What happened…?"_

_ "__I went to gather berries. A gigantic shadow appeared, picked you up from the sky, twisted your sword arm and dropped you into the waters, hoping for you to drown. I heard a splash. I came to your call for help."_

_Link cursed beneath his breath. "I can't kill Ganondorf with my other hand."_

_ "__That is exactly what he planned," she said. "I can't kill him alone, Link. What are we to do?" she cried, tears running down her cheeks. "We are so close to his hideout! We were to kill him tomorrow and now this happened… In enemy territory, we are bound to die. I only know how to wield a bow and arrow. If the enemy gets too close…"_

_Link placed a hand on hers, attempting to soothe her. It worked, and she ceased crying and instead hiccupped. "We will make it through. I promise."_

_ "__Surely?"_

_ "__I am your sworn protector, Princess Zelda." He gestured for her to lean lower. She did, and he kissed her smoothly on the lips. The lovers pulled apart. "I will fight with my weakened hand. We will escape this jungle and find a safe place to recover. Then we will return, better than ever."_

_ "__I will learn magic," Zelda said firmly. "Although it escapes me so, I shall learn to wield it and we will vanquish evil once and for all."_

_Link smiled at her enthusiasm and whispered, "That's my girl," before slowly falling to sleep._

_Beneath the stars and surrounded by thick, gnarled trees, Zelda snuggled up to Link and fell asleep with him, matching her slow breaths with his. _

* * *

_ "__Psst!" Zelda hissed, sitting by Link. _

_Link, who lazily looked out the window until he was rudely interrupted, cast an irritated glance towards Zelda._

_ "__Horwell is asking you a question."_

_ "__What is it?" he hissed back._

_Horwell turned round from the chalkboard and tapped his ruler against the palm of his hand. "Well, Link. What magical element did goddess Din have?"_

_Zelda sketched a quick doddle on the middle of her notebook of fiery flames._

_ "__Uhh…" Inconspicuously, Link took a quick look at her doodle, his eyes darting up to Horwell's incredulous gaze with wildfire of excitement. "Fire!" he exclaimed._

_Horwell smiled. "That is correct. I guess daydreaming hasn't been keeping you busy too much, now does it, Link?"_

_Link blushed at getting pointed out. "No," he replied, and then quickly returned to his notebook, scribbling down whatever answer he had just given._

_Zelda smiled cheekily at him. "Good," she said. "Now we shall return to my room after school to study."_

_ "__Y-your rooms?" Link stammered, eyes wide. He had never been in there before, though he had often imagined what it looked like. _

_ "__Actually," Zelda frowned, "boys and girls aren't supposed to mingle in dorm rooms. I guess we'll have to study outside."_

_ "__Oh," Link said, slightly relieved. He didn't know if he could handle standing close to Zelda in such an intimate place. _

_ "__Class dismissed!" Horwell shouted, waking up the sleepers, the daydreamers, and startling those who paid close attention._

_ "__After studying, we'll fly around Skyloft with our loftwings, okay?" Zelda said as she gathered her notes and pencils. _

_ "__All right," Link said, and he happily followed Zelda, not minding one bit that she chose to be his tutor. _

* * *

I am a princess.

_She did it. She did it with Link. Together, they vanquished evil. Together, they killed Ganondorf and saved the golden land of Hyrule against all odds–Link's injured arm, her horrible skills in magic, the injuries inflicted upon them both._

_The people cheered for them, grand respect hailed to both her and him, the people smiled again, laughed again, cried joyously for once, and the fireworks boomed in the air, creating more chaos of happiness and loud cries of happiness. _

_She was once a princess, immature and innocent. When she had first laid eyes on her body guard, Link, she thought lowly of him due to her rich upbringing. He was a peasant, not a knight. A man with a sword and shield on his back and nothing more was no man at all. _

_But he changed her misconceptions, changed her way of thinking, changed _her _from bratty princess to real princess–a princess who loved and cherished her kingdom. That was a real princess, not one who was draped in jewels and silk and was served delicious cream cakes, but a princess who got dirty, rolled her sleeves up, and did what had to be done. And that was to slaughter hordes of enemies with Link by her side, to save the innocent countrymen in need, and to shower the kingdom with hope and drive away despair. She did that successfully. Only because of him. _

I am a queen.

_The coronation was the happiest moment in her life. With her lover by her side, the forever handsome Link, she and him walked down the aisle, long capes, trimmed with black wolves' fur, trailed behind them like a river of archaic blue. She kept her eyes locked on the stained-glass window depicting her grandmother before her, the great Queen Zelda who battled evil like her, and she smiled, imagining herself in her grandmother's shoes, walking down this aisle, the holy music playing loudly and divinely. _

_At last she reached the end, the holy archbishop nodding in greeting to both Link and Zelda. He dipped his hands in the water bowl and wiped the wetness onto their foreheads, symbolizing Nayru's eternal wisdom. He then placed around each throat's a necklace made of Hyrule's ancient rocks, symbolizing Din's strength and power. Lastly, he placed a crown of leaves with the fresh scent of wind on their golden heads to symbolize Farore's carefree nature and liberal ideas. _

_They spoke their vows of eternal loyalty to the kingdom, spoken from the hearts. After, the golden circlets encased their heads._

_"__Queen Zelda and her husband, King Link, of Hyrule," the archbishop said. The peoples of Hyrule rose from their seats and clapped, their applause echoing off of the walls of the temple._

_As Zelda walked down the aisle, now a queen, she clutched onto Link's hand and smiled, knowing full well that it was against formalities, but nothing could hide her joy that day. _

I am royalty.

_Evil blurred the horizon, encasing the land in darkness once more. She clutched to the babe in her arms, as if the darkness would not touch her if she hid in her mother's arms. _

* * *

Soft voices petered out, poking my ears, urging me to wake up.

"Do you think she will accept her fate?" Impa's voice, cold, flat, untrusting.

I reached higher, pulling myself away from the pool of unconsciousness, and swam into the darkness, toward the light.

"She has to. She's the only one to save Hyrule's fall from Ganondorf," he said. My fingers laced against calloused ones. Link's hand shifted, his warmth flowing down to my wrist where he curled it, wrapping it, testing the pulse.

I pulled harder, willed myself to push, to push, to get there, to see Impa, to tell her that I was sorry, that I _am _sorry. To see Link, to question him, to ask him about the fire, about the rage, about magic.

"Do you think," her voice was soft, unwavering, "that she will ever trust me again?"

I needed to hear the words from Impa. I needed to hear the words from Link. I am a princess, a queen, of royalty. What would I do with these titles, with the Harkinian line dead, with a tyrant on the throne, on the hunt to kill the last of the Harkinians?

I heard Link smile as he spoke soothing words. I felt my lips tug into a smile. Goddesses, he always knew what to say. "She is always forgiving. In due time, she will. Prove yourself to her—prove your loyalty, your love for Hyrule, for her, for her mother—and she will regret ever flinging herself onto you in anger. In fact, I believe once she wakes up, she will have apologies flowing from her mouth down to the Zora's River."

Wet lips brushed against my ear, silken hair slipped by my cheek.

"Zelda," Impa murmured, the whisper smooth and shaking at the same time. I heard her gulp, felt her hand tighten around mine. "I am so sorry. I know you cannot hear me, I know that you are unconscious from using so much powerful magic, and I know you will not wake up for hours, for days, maybe even weeks, but I just need you to know this," a pause, a breath, "I loved your mother like my own sister. I love Hyrule that I will do anything, even harming the one person I love in this entire goddess-forsaken world, to save it, to restore _you, _my queen, to the rightful throne you were born for. What I did was for Hyrule. In due time, you will understand the meaning of sacrifice, even the ones we hold dear. I love you Zelda. You are not a common girl anymore," she paused, searching for the right word. "You _are _Hyrule." A shaky cry of regret. "I will never do that again. I will never put you in harm's way for the sake of the future. Because you are her, the land of the goddesses, Hyrule…"

My eyes flashed opened at that moment.

"Impa?" I gasped, surprised that I was even awake. I tried to get up, but a pounding headache drove me back down to a reclining position.

"Did you…?" she started, flabbergasted.

"I heard you, Impa," I said matter-of-factly, avoiding her gaze. What she said made me feel pride, made me want to shout with glee and give her a hug. I turned my gaze back to her. "Forgive me for shouting… It was just too much information for me to handle."

Impa smiled and gestured for me to give her an embrace. I didn't care about my headache. I dove into her arms and sobbed. "Why didn't you tell me?" I cried. "I had a mother–the queen of Hyrule!" She patted my back, smoothed it with soothing rubs. "I had a family once. The kingdom wasn't in shambles. The kingdom was meant to be mine."

"Is," she corrected.

After a few wet gasps during sobbing, I gave a shaky laugh. "Yes, it is mine. I will take it back. Will you help me?"

Impa pulled away from me, bewildered. "It is my sworn duty, Queen of Hyrule, Queen Zelda, last of her name…" she trailed off, and then tears spilled over her eyes. "You look just like her–your mother." She wiped tears away. "But you are more powerful than her, the very embodiment of the goddess Hylia reincarnated. You have powers far more powerful than a normal sorceress, the exact powers of good that can rival the powers of evil."

"Ganondorf," Link said. He stood in the shadows, his back leaning against the bedroom wall, one leg up, his arms crossed. "You are to defeat him," he continued, coming into the morning light spilling from the nearby window. His golden hair lit up and his blue eyes sparkled in hope. "I will help you, Impa will help you, and the brave folk of Hyrule will help you. We will restore you and overthrow the tyrant." He came over to my side and grasped my hand. He brought it to his lips, landing a delicate kiss at the top, right in the middle of the symbol that caused so much hassle. "I, too, will be your sworn protector."

I felt the heat rise from the neck up as I withdrew my hand away from his. "Thank you," I said, averting his gaze. "The first thing this queen shall do is set up the inn for today. We need an income, yes?"

Impa looked at me sadly. "The first floor burned. There's nothing we can do."

"Use the gold coin I have in my purse," Link said. "Surely it will get us to wherever it is we are going. We're a team now," he held both of our hands, "and a team sticks together."

"Can I–" I started then gulped. I didn't think they'd like my idea, a futile one to two practical warriors, of saying farewell to Malon. "Can I say goodbye to Malon? At the Harvest Festival?"

"The Harvest Festival is tonight," Impa said, and she patted my hand compassionately. "You shall go. Go with her, Link," she demanded. "I have to finish some business."

"As you wish," he said to me, gently taking my hand. He placed something cool into it. "Drink this before you go. It will relieve all your symptoms of mana deficiency."

I uncurled my hands to reveal a vial of green slime. The stuff looked ghastly sitting in the sunlight with bubbles popping as if it were boiling, but it was cool to the touch. I unplugged the stopper at the top and took a whiff. It smelt like nothing so it would taste like nothing.

How wrong I was.

I coughed and sputtered. Trying to get the slime down my throat proved to be a lot of trouble when it tasted like sour boogers. At last, after five minutes of hacking at the stuff, I got it successfully into my stomach. Miraculously, there was no after taste… unless you counted morning breath.

Within seconds, the headache disappeared, my grogginess was replaced with attentiveness, and I felt like I could send another spiral of fire to burn up the inn. Well, I was more tempted to do just that than anything else, but I resisted temptation and instead slipped off a nightgown Impa must have put on me and pulled on a dress that was the only good looking thing I owned. I sighed, examining the simple white, translucent material. I guess Malon's wish of seeing me as a spirit would come true.

"Impa," I called. At once, she was at my side, carrying Lupa's empty food bowl.

"Yes?" she asked, setting the stuff down.

"Help with my hair?"

We sat in front of the vanity table, the boar brush flowing roughly against the tides of knots I had in my hair. Impa told me she had washed my hair, bathed me, and put me into a comfortable nightgown in the fear that I would be conked out in a dirty mess for weeks. I thanked her for it, and requested a cascading waterfall braid.

"You know," I said, smiling, tilting my head, looking at Impa's reflection, "just the way I like it?"

She pulled and tugged at my hair. At last, it was done. To say the least, I did look like a fairy tale spirit. I would definitely disappoint Malon. She had a vision that we would be the belles of the ball. At least she would attract all the men tonight and maybe even find true love.

"Thank you, Impa," I said, and she smiled back at me before I vanished down the stairs.

I almost dropped to my knees and cried out in horror because the first floor did not look like what I had grown up in. Black scorch marks lined all the walls, the floor was a mess with water dripping everywhere from whatever magic Link and Impa attempted to put it out with, and the furniture, ruined beyond repair, laid huddled in a corner like a group of terrified refugees. Beams leaned and groaned, and I began to hastily move out the front door lest the building collapsed.

"Zelda!" Link greeted me outside, looking so ever handsome in a suit of green velvet. He blushed and noticed me staring at him openly. "I know," he said. "I look ridiculous in this outfit. It was the only thing Impa had at the back of her closet."

"I think you look very dashing," I said, running a hand against his chest. Hard muscle laid beneath. Immediately, I took off my hand and pretended I brushed off lint during the process. _Oh!_ _Why'd I do that?_

Link looked at me like nothing had ever happened, smiling a huge goofy grin. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yes," I said.

Link whistled. The chestnut mare, decorated in a bunch of red, gold, and orange leaves for the festivities, trotted forward, ready for riding. A bark followed and Lupa emerged from the shed, happily running towards me until her big paws pushed my shoulders down and pinned me against the ground. She licked my face enthusiastically and sniffed my hair, my mouth.

"Hey, girl!" I said, grinning, smoothing down her grey fur. "Did you miss me?"

She wagged her tail in response.

"Impa doesn't like her in the inn," Link said. "I wonder why? At my place, we had dogs running all over the castle. They help keep the floors clean in the great hall."

I laughed. "She scares customers, that's why."

"Who? Impa or the she-wolf?"

"Impa _is _a she-wolf."

We stood there, grinning at each other like idiots. Then Link's gaze hardened, tore away from mine, and he cleared his throat. "We should get going now, right?"

"It starts at noon. We're already late," I said as I climbed onto our ride for this evening. "Hey, Kifa. How's it going?" I whispered into the mare's mane. She neighed in response.

I stiffened as I felt Link's presence behind me. His arms wrapped around me as he reached for the reins.

"Hold on tight," he said into my ear, his soft breath brushing against my skin.

I shivered and looked forward, toward the destination of the only town I knew, where my only friend in the entire world would have the night of her life — only to be ruined by me.

_Oh, Malon, _I thought, _What am I to tell you? _


	8. Chapter 7: The Harvest Festival

a/n - Don't worry! I haven't forgotten this story. It's been very old and very neglected, but I promise to finish it! Even if it takes me half my life... xD

...Which won't happen. I plan to have this complete within the next year or so. :D

As per usual, if you catch a typo or error, please let me know. My dumb eyes aren't observant enough.

* * *

**~ 7 ~  
**

_**The Harvest Festival**_

* * *

The festival glowed in the horizon like a second sunset, its red and orange colours flaming high into the crimson clouds. Laughter, chatter, and clatter filled the smoky air, the smells of roasted meat and sweet pies riding the winds as we arrived to town. Several people walked below us as we rode to the stables, their dress unique costumes of ancient Zoras, Gorons, and Yetis, magnificent large, glittery masks covering their faces as they wandered around checking out the stands of bountiful merchandise.

Link helped me off the horse, grabbing a hold of my waist with his strong hands. I almost tripped into him, but Link stopped me with a gentle hand. Our noses almost touched. I gazed at him for a second too long.

Link was the first to break eye contact, saying nothing as he went about unsaddling Kifa. She neighed at him when he offered her an apple and oats.

"So where is your friend?" he finally said.

I wrung my hands together. "She's to be the Festival's Queen, so she's hidden away from view for now. But if we manage to find where the parade starts, that's where she'll be." It was already sunset now. By nightfall, it would be too dark to find her. "We should split up to find her faster."

He was by my side immediately, a protective arm around my shoulder. "No. It's far too dangerous. Your gloves… they burned. Our marks will make us stick out like a sore thumb. I'm your protector, so I shall remain with you."

I nodded. "Let us make haste."

The festival grounds, although on an open field in the middle of town, provided to be a large maze with hundreds of masked people crowding around and blocking the way, and with the many colourful stands selling bountiful harvests of corn, spinach, pumpkin, squash, apples – all the fresh foods available from far and wide. Other attractions included old games which tested strength and hand-eye coordination, like the sword and shield or the sword in the rock challenges. I glanced at Link. He didn't look tempted to try out any of them, although I felt like doing the archery range.

His hand locked tightly around me as we weaved through the crowd. We stopped only once to buy masks. He had a hawkeye mask, its winged feathers completely concealing the upper-part of his face – only his strong jaw, chin, and chapped lips were revealed. He bought me a swan mask to match my white dress.

"So we have a bird theme, huh?" I asked, smiling. It was a very pretty mask.

Link tensed suddenly – I felt his biceps stiffen against mine. I followed his line of sight. Two men stared at us openly, but nonchalantly continued to eat their meal together, laughing and chatting as if they were a part of the crowd.

I noticed one eyed my marked hand.

"Who are those men?" I whispered when we walked a safe distance away. I wanted to glance back, but Link stopped me.

"Pretend you don't notice," he told me. He pointed to a mirror, and the men were following behind us, their black masks covering their identities.

Link twisted us around the crowd, weaving in and out of stalls, entering small huts which told fortunes only to abruptly leave – much to the protests of the business owners. We said nothing to each other, only focusing on losing the men who stalked us. My heart raced and adrenaline pumped in my veins. I wanted to run, but Link held me back. Would they shoot me if I ran?

At last, he stopped besides a white and red striped tent. We were in a secluded area where there was no one around. The forest laid beyond.

He turned to me, anger blazing in his eyes. "This isn't a good idea, Zelda. We're in a crowded place, an easy spot for assassins and mercenaries to pick us out and get their gold. Do you still want to see Malon?" he asked me, straight to the point.

I tried to hide the hurt on my face by smiling like a doofus. "She's my only friend. I want to explain to her my disappearance before we leave."

"You cannot tell her the truth. It will put her in harm's way." Link's rage flared in his voice. "The best you can do is avoid her. She's already a marked target since the village folk have seen her with you – they'll be willing enough to spew out all they know for their lives. We have to go. Enough of this," he spat.

Tears stung my eyes. "Why are you so angry?" I cried, seating myself down on a bench. "This is my decision and an important one at that."

Link wanted to say something that would change my mind – I could see it in his eyes. Yet, he sighed, his shoulders slumping as he sat next to me.

"You can say goodbye to her, but you cannot tell her. Do you understand what pain and terror you will cause?"

"Tell her what?" Malon's voice emitted from inside the tent. She walked out of it, her blazing-red hair halfway done, her scarlet dress emphasizing her feminine body. She held a crown of autumn leaves in one of her hands.

"Malon!" I gasped, flabbergasted. All at once, the hurt I felt from Link vanished as I saw her beaming smile.

"You look like a spirit!" she squealed, running to me. She leaned in for a hug. When she pulled away, she grinned wider. "Belles of the ball, huh?"

"You look more stunning than me," I insisted, spinning her in a twirl, The skirts of her dress fanned out like flames to a fire. "Your knight will find you tonight." I winked.

Malon's blue-eyed gaze flickered over to Link who still sat glumly on the bench. She glanced at me with shock. "Who is this handsome man?"

"I'm her fiance," Link replied bluntly, standing up. His hands were on me again, but less controlling and more comforting. My heart raced at his touch.

I almost questioned him, but before I could, he pulled me away from Malon and lowered his voice.

"If anyone were to know your true identity, they would be tortured and killed for information no matter how small. That girl is your best friend, right?"

I nodded, saying no words out of shock and fear.

"I knew you were going to tell the truth to her, so for your sake, I'm going to lie to her for you. The reason you're leaving is because you're going to marry me, a farmer who lives at the other side of the kingdom, so that she can't visit or contact you. My name will be Archer, and you and I fell in love at first sight three days ago – which is enough to get hitched. Do you understand?"

The urgency in his words made me nervous. I so desperately wanted to tell Malon the truth – all the lies, all the hardships, my secret past, my destiny as the true ruler of the realm – but I had to keep silent, to keep her from harm's way. Although it would pain me to keep quiet and let Link lie to her, it was far better than losing her to Ganondorf's minions.

I nodded at his plan and wrapped my arms around him lovingly as we turned back to Malon.

She immediately sprang onto me with a bajillion questions. "He's to be your husband?!" She gasped, giving me a huge hug. When she broke away, her eyes shone with happy tears. "I'm so happy for you. Where'd you find him? I might pick one up for myself." She winked at us both.

Nervously, I began the lie Link wove for us. "I met him three nights ago at the inn. It was love at first sight." Link motioned behind Malon's head, his hands urging me to be more emotional. He faked swooned and rubbed his eyes as if he were crying. I tried not to laugh. "He's a very handsome man, isn't he? Oh, Malon," I cried in excitement. "He's very good to me, a very kindly gentleman. When I look at him, my heart races, and when he looks at me I can't help but blush," I said honestly, not meaning to say what I really felt about him. The red heat flared across my cheeks. My gaze wandered to Link, who stiffened at my compliment, a red flush also creeping up his neck.

"Oh! You must really be in love!" Malon dove in for another hug, happiness emitting from her very core.

"I-I," I stuttered, wanting to protest against her. I mean, I wasn't _really _in love with Link.

Link took my hand in his, interrupting my shakiness. "Yes, love is beautiful. Isn't it, love?"

I was frozen. All I could do was nod and smile. Why couldn't I control myself properly whenever I'm around Link?

Sensing my shakiness, Link butted in, smooth talking Malon. "My name is Archer and I am a farmer. We are here to say goodbye to you at the insistence of my to-be wife."

"Good-bye?" Malon asked, shocked. "Whatever for? Are you leaving already?"

"I-I," I begin, still at a loss for words. The combined impact of Link's seductive presence flustered me, and the notion that these were my last words to Malon, emotionally drowned me. I could only stand there, flabbergasted with shock.

"We are to move into my country home in Lanayru province and get married there," he told Malon as a matter-of-fact.

Malon's eyes widened and her mouth formed an 'o'. "What?" She gasped. "No-No! You can't do that. Remember when we were little girls, Zelda? We promised we'd be each other's bride's maid. If you move there, I can't come with you!" Hearing her plead made my heart fall. Tears stung my eyes. I couldn't look at her and see the pain and betrayal I caused.

"I'm sorry, Malon," I sniffled back a sob. I had to remain strong. "But I have to do this. Goodbye…"

Malon grabbed me as Link led me into the crowd.

"You can't go. I can't stand this horrible life without you. My father's lazy, my uncle's cruel, I am stuck on a farm doing repetitive tasks… if you are to go, I'll have no more laughs or no more talks. I'll just be a milking, egg-collecting machine." She was crying, her blue eyes shiny with tears.

"Smile, Malon," I told her. "You look prettier when you smile. Besides, the Harvest Queen is to be beautiful." I squeezed her hand tightly. "You'll find your knight tonight. He'll make you happy, just like how mine makes me happy."

With that, Link and I disappeared into the crowd.

"That must've been hard," he said softly, his arm still linked to mine.

I said no words to him. What I've just done – to hurt my very best friend – was something unforgivable. Even if it were for the better, I knew I'd left behind a terrified Malon, a girl who'd live on the ranch without anymore laughter and smiles. She'd stop singing, wondering what life was like in Lanayru province, and she'd think of happier times between us when we were little, playing with dolls and reading fairy tales, imagining our lives as princesses.

Except that became a reality for me.

Sadness and hope mingled at the corners of my heart. I squeezed shut my eyes, wishing that I'll forget about the pain I've caused. How many more lives will I ruin to reach my end goal?

I can't jeopardize my mission to bring peace to Hyrule. If required, I must put aside my feelings. It was what my mother would've done.

The carriages for the parade rolled in, blocking our path. The crowd lined up, large eyes watching in awe. Cheers, laughter, and chatter surged, especially when a new and impressive carriage floated by with glitter and mini-fireworks.

We were forced to a stop. My pulse rammed against the flesh of my neck, a cold sweat lingered at the small of my back. We weren't safe here, next to this parade. The men were here. I could feel it.

Link kept a wary eye out, but an oblivious smile disguised him. We both donned our masks. I prayed the men haven't seen us unmasked yet.

Black masks bobbed up and down the crowd with urgent speed, closing in on us. One to our right edged closer and closer. The other black masked assassin to our left conspicuously stood next to me. Fear pulsed through my veins, freezing my blood to ice. I couldn't move my limbs as I watched a slice of silver flashed beneath his dark robes.

A flair of green sleeves swished into the air silently. They fluttered in the wind like forest's leaves, a soft whisper that only I can hear. When they floated down, Link's hands sheathed a dagger covered in blood.

Both of the masked men have fallen to the ground quiet as the night. Blood dripped from their necks, a thin ruby red ribbon sliding down soft flesh to create a pool of crimson.

The cheers of the people rose high into the sky, but the beat of my own pulse was louder, drowning all the noise around me.

A cold hand touched my ankle.

"Help me," one of the dying men moaned.

My eyes widened at the sight. Blood gurgled out of his mouth and dribbled down to his chin as he struggled to say those grotesque words. I barely understood him, but I knew he suffered a painful death which finally whisked him off to the heavens, leaving behind only a carcass of a man in a black mask, his silver dagger withdrawn a portion in its sheath, still in his hands.

"A dead man!" someone screamed high into the sky, alerting others. Chaos broke loose, people shoving, pushing, clawing, shouting, shrieking – they all tried to climb out of the parade alive, to live another day, to escape the mysterious assassin who slaughtered two men without noise.

The carriages were abandoned as everyone ran away, leaving behind a ghost town of the festival. Scattered harvests rolled across the dirt floor, stands stood as silent as gravestones, the masks of mythical creatures laid on the ground like defeated enemies. Dust rose as a low cloud kicked up by the massive crowd as they made their escape. Only ten men remained behind, all wearing identical black masks of a faceless man.

They watched Link. He stood still, eyeing them warily, assessing the situation.

"Zelda," he whispered for my ears only. "Run."

_Run, just _run!

_We'll find you. We _promise.

The echoes of my dead parents rang against the empty sky. The cold, bitter wind, the bite of snow against my silk slippered feet – the memories of trauma entered my mind as I heard _run_.

"No." I gripped onto my skirts and glared at the men. "No more running."

The last time I ran, my parents died.

I didn't want Link to die.

The searing heat boiled beneath my skin, glowing my veins a bright orange as it flowed to the mark on my hand, its triangles flaming a vivid red. My fingers reached to a group of men, who stood idly by frozen in terror. Suddenly, a large mass of fire swirled to them, a fire dancer riding the winds and hissing a battle cry of victory as it landed on two of the men. Their black robes caught on fire. They ran around, rolled, patted their burning limbs with their hands... but the fire wouldn't go out.

An arrow flew to their throats, releasing them from their misery.

The soft whisper of the arrow unleashed havoc. Five men rushed to Link, their blades unsheathed and glowing in the embers. Three pairs of eyes scowled at me as they approached, their black masks covering their mouths..

My white skirts flowed behind me as I ran, adrenaline drowning me in dizziness and alertness. The spell I had just cast was far too powerful and made me feel nauseous. But I had to keep running, to save myself from harm's way.

I was too slow. Thinking quickly, I grabbed onto a bucket of water from an abandoned stall, splashing all three of them.

"What's that gonna do?" A drenched man laughed.

"The little girl don't know how to fight."

Electricity tingled, the hair all over my body rose high into the evening air. Prickling my bones with tiny needles as it zipped through my arm and to my fingers, lightning zapped out, a flash of white light blinding the entire area.

The three men lied dead, their bodies still shaking from the strong electricity.

The two powerful spells left me nothing but darkness. I resisted the sleep that overcame me, pushing it aside, yet my lids became heavy, slowly falling down millimetre by millimetre until they remained closed.

The last thing I saw through my darkening vision was Link. He slayed the last of the men and turned to look at me. Blood soiled his green clothing. Blood soaked in his hair. Blood streamed down his face. Blood pooled around him, fed by the dying bodies of moaning men.

All I saw was blood and death.

And I wanted to scream.


	9. Chapter 8: The Start of a New Beginning

_a/n -_ Are you surprised this was updated? Haha. I am. x) I hope you enjoy. Please drop a review at the end. The next chapter I'll try to make longer. I actually had this planned out – massive walls of text for it – and it surprisingly came out shorter than what was expected.

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**~ 8 ~  
**

_**The Start of a New Beginning**_

* * *

_Glowing eyes of gold floated in the darkness, full of hatred and loathing. A spark created shadows all around, until it turned into a full-fledged flame, lighting the entire area in flickers of light. _

_A man, tall and heavyset, stood before them, a woman in an elaborate dress of jewels and embroidery and another man in a green tunic and matching, pointed hat. _

_The man with the golden eyes opened his mouth, a ferocious snarl emitting from his grotesque lips. _

_The lights went out._

_The man in green cried in agony._

_And she screamed in absolute terror._

* * *

The sounds of hooves, the constant motion of rising and falling, and the warm, gentle arms holding my body drew the deep sleep out of me, and I awoke to consciousness. In my vision there were only trees shrouded in mist, Kifa's neck and mane bobbing up and down, and bloody gauntlets.

"Link," I croaked, aching everywhere.

"Yes?" His breath brushed against the back of my head.

"Are you okay? That was a close call."

He remained silent, if only for a moment. "I killed them all. No one trails us."

Overhead, grey clouds hovered. I frowned. "Looks like there'll be rain."

"Good," he said. "Rain will erase our track."

"Can you fill me in on what happened?" I asked, rubbing away the headache forming on my temples.

"You were unconscious for a short period of time. After I killed our intruders, I prepared for our departure, saddling up Kifa and what not, and hauled you on. We are currently heading back to the inn. It is unsafe here, and we must leave immediately." He spoke emotionlessly.

My heart suddenly jolted in a panic. "Malon!" I cried. "We have to go back – we have to see if she is safe! Link," I pleaded. "Is she safe? Is she?"

"Not to worry. She is safe. I ensured it."

The thudding in my heart continued, but I breathed a sigh of relief, slumping against his chest, my head tilted lopsided. Even if I was unconscious, I felt so tired, so drained. Tears stung the back of my eyes.

"I can't believe I just ditched my only friend," I said sadly.

"It had to be done," he murmured.

"I sent her in a disarray. What a terrible person I am. Did you hear the panic in her voice? I felt it, and it was the absolutely the most heart-wrenching thing I've ever felt before. She must be worrying sick over me. She saw the blood and everything, I bet, and now she's probably trying to find me in the mess we've left at the festival. What a good friend." I gulped back a sob. "Unlike me."

"Not to worry," Link said. "She saw you in my arms when we escaped. She knows you are safe."

The thunder overhead rumbled. Behind me, Link shifted uncomfortably, his throat gulping, his hands gripping tighter on the reins.

"Zelda…" he began, my name on his lips sending shudders down my spine. He sounded heartbroken, lost, as if years of longing and suffering were etched into his very being.

I laid a hand on his wrist, the blood smearing on the long, white angel sleeves. "What?" I asked gently.

"If it is of any comfort…" he trailed off, the anguish returning. "You must live, move on, see the tomorrow. Only time will wear away the pain in your heart."

"Don't worry," I said softly, surprised at his words which spoke of wisdom and immense life experience. "I promise I'll focus on the tomorrow, and the days to come. It isn't good to dwell on the past."

He flinched. "Yes, the past is as cruel as it is wise…"

I widened my eyes at the ominous statement, which was as quiet as a lone raindrop hitting soft soils. It was obviously not meant for my ears, but I could only wonder at what he meant by that, the strangeness to it.

The thought drifted back to my mind as the inn's ruins arrived in my sight. Impa clung to a horse, the colour chestnut, the mane white, the saddle already on its body, the packets, bags and other luggage as well.

Impa's red eyes widened at the sight of us.

"What happened?" she demanded, her eyes sharply catching Link's.

Link got down, offered me his hand, and I jumped. "Assassins and mercenaries," he muttered. "It isn't safe here."

"Zelda," she rushed to me, assessing for any wounds. Her hands scraped against the blood on my dress.

"Not mine," I assured her.

"None of us were hurt," Link responded gruffly, grabbing a dirty rag hanging from a nearby railing. He wiped the blood off his face.

"Let me get you clothes," Impa said, running back to the inn, leaving Link and me in silence.

My eyes wandered to his form, which was indifferent and oddly quiet at such a disastrous event. Did bloodshed not faze him?

"It – "

"I – "

He smiled. "You go first."

"I… I just wanted to say thank you for saving my life."

"Those men were trained assassins," he told me. "Without you, it would have been the end for me."

"But you are one of the best swordsman I have ever laid eyes upon!" I exclaimed.

Both of us turned beet red – him, because of the compliment; me, because I felt like a flirt.

"Thank you," he said, a frown etching on his lips as he smudged the blood away on his hands. "You shouldn't feed me so many admirative glances, you know? It really makes me flattered."

"Isn't that the point?"

He turned quiet again, his eyes intensely focused on something in the distance. "Flattered as in… it makes me very arrogant."

"Arrogant? You are a humble man."

"Until a lovely lady adores him so," he muttered, the cloth wiping at the back of his neck, his eyes awkwardly averting mine.

"Oh." My mouth had a mind of its own as it breathed out that curt, brusque sound. Heat ebbed and flowed from my core, rising up like hot air, surrounding my head, the heartbeat and drummings of a pulse making me woozy and dizzy.

Luckily, Impa broke the awkward silence, prohibiting it from dragging out. She threw a bundle of clothes to Link, handed me mine, and gestured for me to change inside.

"I have a few words with Link," she said, venom in her voice.

I did as she said, hesitating, my eyes searching for Link's. He only stared at Impa, mouth agaped, most likely preparing for whatever anger she wanted to unleash.

Inside the inn, water dripped in echoes, the black, burned wood leaning in a neat little pile Impa created. I smiled. She was always organized to the point of arranging useless, pointless tasks and objects. What good would this be inn be if its use was already gone?

I shrugged off the bloody red dress and grabbed a wet cloth at the water basin Impa set up for me, relishing its cold touch to my bare, searing skin. The magic had not only tired me out, but it had heated my body temperature up to an undesirable degree. Steam floated in the air as the cloth rubbed away the pain and the blood.

Outside, I heard a squabble between Impa and Link. I listened in as I dressed in the purple tunic, brown trouser and black boots Impa gave me, the material rough and durable for future days to come. Link's voice was the quiet of the two; Impa's a loud, piercing shriek.

"What in the world were you thinking?" I heard her say. "Letting her use magic? Are you crazy? Magic can get her killed, especially those powerful spells!"

His words were jumbled together, quiet as the moon.

"Just because she has strong potential doesn't mean that she can practice strong spells. Not until she reaches that level, at least."

"I just want to help her grow as a sorceress."

"Hand her a weapon next time."

"She will never learn if you inhibit her like this."

"It's worked so far."

A stomping was adjacent next to the burnt door. Impa knocked loudly; the entire structure creaked.

"I don't think that is wise," Link said from behind her.

Impa ignored him. "Zelda, are you done? Link is in dire need of a bath," she called, disgusted.

I stepped outside, the grey skies casting shades of sombre blue on the trees, leaves, and ground. "I'll need a bow, some arrows, a sword," I said to her. If she truly thought magic would be my ultimate doom, then I will appease her wishes for my safety. After all, I had to admit to myself that the magic I had cast just hours before made me feel lethargic and ill.

Impa pointed to a trunk. "I hauled it out. Get what you need. I'll get the potions."

Link vanished inside without another word, a shameful slouch to his shoulders as he closed the door behind him.

I waited for the timely click of the door before focusing my glare on Impa, who rebounded from pride at chiding Link to absolute shock, the arch of her eyebrows shooting high to her forehead. "You shouldn't be so hard on him!" I hissed, nearly ripping the chest apart as I opened it.

"We are both your sworn protectors," she said to me, appearing calm.

I turned around, looking her in the eyes, the reproach paramount in the blood red irises. "He risks his life for me. The least I can do – _you _can do – is be appreciative." I returned to sorting out the weapons, grabbing a sword and inspecting its sharpness with the palm of my hand. It was dull. With distaste, I started a discard pile.

Impa scoffed. "He is a young man with young blood. I do not trust him in your presence, princess. Especially now that I know he has eyes which yearn for you," she said, a hint of indignation between her words.

The blood in my veins turned hotter, skimming the skin above with scorching heat. "Don't say such things," I muttered, refusing to turn around and face Impa with my reddened cheeks.

"It is the truth. And the truth always hurts," she said curtly.

I was about to say something to her – a bark of annoyance, most likely – but got distracted quickly. A beautiful bow with unique carvings of ancient Loftwings got caught in my hands. I retrieved it out of the chest, into the light, and admired the amber gemstones for the eyes of petite birds. The string was sturdy, tight. I grinned. A lethal weapon.

"Maybe I should go with you," she added, quiet.

My heart jolted. "No," I nearly cried. Something told me it would be wiser to travel with Link than her.

"Why not?"

"Because the two who are targeted are the most powerful together," Link said, his voice loud and filled with pride, as he strode out into the blue light of twilight, his golden locks shining platinum, his eyes the bluest shade ever. He grinned a dashing smile, and my heart nearly burst in smoldering heat as his azure gaze locked with mine. "The holders of wisdom and courage shall certainly smite any enemies. Our powers shine and grow bolder while near each other."

"This is true," Impa said, voice hushed, eyes pondering.

Link assisted me in rummaging through the trunk. He drew out two swords, one with the tip pointed, another with a double-edged blade. I grabbed for one. A knowing smirk winked on his lips as he looked down on me.

"Two blades are better than one," he commented, sheathing them, wrapping the belt around his waist. Shortly after, he found another sword, one that was thin and long, and offered it to me by the hilt.

I took it in my hands, felt the weight – almost like a feather's – as he tossed and turned it within my fingers. "A good find," I said to him, admiring the master craftsmanship. The hilt was simple yet elaborate, the purple wrappings around it comfortable within my hands, and swirls of elegance wrapped around the base of the blade. "Beautiful, too."

"It suits you," he said, absentmindedly, as he gripped onto a couple of daggers, fanning them in his fingers. I felt the heat rise to my cheeks, and I looked away.

"I shall distract them, then," Impa said suddenly, her eyes sparkling at a master plan. She unfolded a map she retrieved from her pocket, handing it to me. "An illusionary spell of Zelda will be by my side at all times. Link, ensure that she is disguised." Impa's hands ran through my hair. "Dye her hair, change her eye colour, her skin colour. Magic can do all these, very powerful magic."

"Magic that we do not have."

"Who will we get it from?" I asked.

"The witch I buy your gloves from. She will help," Impa said, pointing to the map in my hands. It was old, but the ink hadn't disappeared yet.

"We must both get gloves as well, then."

"Yes," Impa said, her eyes shut as she hummed beneath her breath, her entire body still, her chest breathing deeply. Her eyes snapped open just as a ghostly girl appeared.

"Oh!" I cried, jumping away, scared by such a cloned figure. Her eyes, face, hair, height, and weight were of exact appearance to mine. Cautiously, I poked her nose, feeling nothing, and dug my finger deeper, my nail disappearing into the girl's face, and she didn't even react, not once, yet she breathed and blinked and occasionally her eyes would wander aimlessly. "What is that thing?"

"It is you," Link said, an amused smile curling on his lips.

I waved my hands before her. "Why doesn't she see me?"

"She cannot react to the environment – that type of magic is stronger than what I can do," Impa replied. She walked to Kifa, and the girl followed. "She stays by my side at all times. Little mana usage," she told us, unsaddling the horse and gripping its reins. "Go. Leave now, to the witch's shop and then somewhere safe, and practice your skills until you are strong enough to enter the Forest Temple of Faron Woods."

"The Forest Temple?" I asked.

"It is where a great treasure is located, an item which will assist you on your journey onwards. An ancient power to defeat evil, a sword which is in slumber until the one who holds Courage awakens it," her red eyes snapped onto Link's. "The time has come; the hour is nigh. Go. Before they get here. And when they do, I will be waiting for them."

"Impa," Link called, and she turned around at his voice. He nodded his head briskly. "Thank you. For all that you have done."

"Anything for the true ruler," she said sadly, and with that, the darkness of the stables engulfed her, the last appearance I'd see from her in a long time.

Link laid a gentle hand on my waist, leading me to the prepared horse. "Let's go," he growled beneath his breath. "They will be here soon."

He hauled me up first, the seat comfortable now that my pants enabled me to straddle and ride properly, and he settled in behind me, his torso pressing into my back. I could feel his ribcage move up and down, the tender rise and fall of his chest. I bit my lip as I realized his strong arms would surround me for the majority of our journey, his hands clutching onto the reins once again.

"You can sleep," he told me. "The beginning is the easiest."

"I am too nervous for slumber," I said to him, and despite my words, I let out a loud yawn.

His chest shook from behind me, a chuckle leaving his lips, the soft breaths brushing my ears. "Hand me the map. I will get us there while you sleep."

I gave it to him, my eyes already drooping. "If you insist…"

Silence shrouded us like fog, and the cold night time air suffocated us as we pushed forward into the forest. Soon, the quiet night time of summer crickets sung their symphony to the stars, and that was when Link spoke, his worries leaving in a stream of jumbled words.

"Some will be after me, but most will go after Impa and the phantom. Stay quiet if they do catch us, hide somewhere, and I will handle the rest."

I knew he had been worrying all this time, during that moment of quietude where only the sounds of nature rang into the night's sky. "I will," I promised. "But I will watch, and if I see disaster, I will intervene and prevent."

"Run," he whispered. "Do not help me. Run."

"Running is for cowards," I reproached. "I am not a coward, but a brave woman who will stand and fight for those whom she loves."

He tensed at my words. "You hardly know me," he said, his voice a void in the darkness.

I ran my hand up and down the horse's white mane absentmindedly. "Those who risk their lives for me… that is love, and I will always reciprocate their love and respect for me, just as they have given me," I told him, the honesty from the bottom of my heart flowing like euphoric nectar in my veins. The voice I had drew out from my tongue like honey, and I smiled widely, slightly turning to him as he had no response to that.

"I see," he said coldly, distantly, and the conversation ended flatly. Then, with a quiet, gentle tone, he added, "Sleep. Regain your strength, and I will be your eyes and ears."

I leaned comfortably against him, closing my eyes, reminiscing of my life before it changed drastically. The empty – now ruined – inn had been my home, the place I practically grew up in. It had burst into flames, crumbled into ruins, and the smiling, rare passerby and customer would no longer take up a room in the vacant inn. The town, terrorized by magic and combat, the festival which was celebrated yearly that met its abrupt end, would be a target of questioning and horror by Ganondorf's lackeys. And, worst, my best friend Malon would be at the centre of it.

I closed my eyes tightly, felt something warm and wet trickle down my cheek and trace the line of my upper lip. I inhaled through my mouth, tasted the salty tear, and sighed, upset.

And now Impa would be putting her life at risk for me, even the brave man behind me, someone I only met yesterday, all because I was a princess, a queen, the last remaining member of the royal bloodline of Harkinian.

I was scared of what was to come. But knowing that even a stranger like Link would sacrifice his life for me just to remove the tyrant on the throne offered me an ounce of strength.

Though restless by rampaging thoughts of worry, I slowly, gently, drifted off to sleep, Link's warm arms encasing me, his chest my pillow, as I prayed for our fates and the fate of Hyrule.


	10. Chapter 9: Before the Forest Temple

_a/n - _A fast update for once, lol. If you see any typos, please tell me. I suck at catching them. My mind breezes by them without a care in the world!

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**~ 9 ~**

**_Before the Forest Temple_**

* * *

The trees blurred passed us as we neared a glowing hut, its lights a welcome invitation in the doom and gloom around us of mist, darkness, and shadows.

"Oh, good. You have awakened," Link said, slowing to a halt.

I wiped away the sleep from my eyes and stared upon the structure of Hecta's hut. It was a shabby old thing, the wood rotten in near ruin with a thatched roof. The name _Hecta _was faded on a plank, a long and empty space next to it that was once reserved for the rest of her shop's name.

Suddenly, the door creaked open and the lights went out – just as we dismounted the horse. Suspicions caused the hair on the back of my neck to rise.

"I don't think this is such a good idea," I whispered to Link. "Have you ever heard the legends of witches? They eat the bones of children after cooking their flesh in stew. What would they do to us, teenagers?"

Link shrugged off my worry, tilted his neck, and unsheathed a sword. "I will handle it," he told me, and with that, he walked up the creaking steps.

Scared of being alone, I reluctantly followed him.

"Isn't Hecta a friend of Impa's?" I said to myself aloud, hoping to calm my nerves.

Link turned around and shot me a scornful look, urging me to be quiet. I promptly clamped my lips together, nodded at him to say that I would obey, and stuck close to him like a second shadow.

He peered around the gaping mouth of the door, and with his other hand, he summoned a ball of light to float beside his head – as if an invisible ghost held a lantern for him. He turned around, motioned me forward.

As we stepped inside, the smell of dust filled the air. Strange shapes and shadows lingered in the corners, other objects were draped in white sheets to keep out the perpetual dust – and already a thin, grey film of dust lied on them.

The light hovering around Link's head lit up a shelf full of floating eyeballs, shrunken heads, tongues, and other odd body parts, like hands and fingers and toes. I tried not to gag at the unpleasant odour emitting from them.

"Children of the goddesses," a voice said, deep, seductive and lulling. "Why must you be sneaking around? I'm friendly, and I have been waiting for you for quite some time. Please, make yourself at home, and I will provide resources for you for your travels."

"Show yourself," Link said.

"A warm welcome would include a fire," I added.

"Now, now, now…" the voice chided. "That is no way to speak to a lady."

To me, he whispered, "Something is not right with this place. Stay near the door."

I nodded, weak in the knees, as I walked slowly, methodically to the only exit, hoping that the voice would only be watching Link and his floating light.

"You can see me. It is only fair if you show yourself," Link said, pushing the floating light to one side of the room. It stuck between the ceiling and the walls, snugged tight right into the corner like a white spider's egg.

"I am the hostess. My guests shouldn't be so rude, now should they?" it responded.

Link summoned another ball of light, and with a flick of his finger, sent it spiralling across another corner of the room. Now half of the room was lit as if daylight shone through all the windows – which were cracked, the glass shattered on the ground and the remaining glass pane like the jaws of a shark. Something dark was splattered across the floor as well, a trail of drops leading to a curtain which brushed gently in the nighttime breeze.

My breath hitched in my throat, a threshold between a gasp and an urge to remain low and quiet.

Link's eyes didn't widen in fear at all; instead, they narrowed in anger, his lips a quiet snarl as he brought his stance to a fighter's – legs apart, arms firm, hands clutched onto the hilt of his sword, its position ready to strike or block if need be.

A shadow flickered nearby a white light to the left, and Link's eyes trailed it. Suddenly, a flash of silver glinted and then a cry of pain shot out – it was nothing like the seductive voice from before, but a shriek like a monster's.

"What happened?" I mouthed to him.

"It is dead," he said, walking to it. He impaled its head – a grey, wrinkly thing with a thousand eyes – and its shrivelled, trembling body stilled. A potent smell broke loose, and I plugged my nose, eyes squinting.

"What is that thing?" I said, my voice appearing louder than usual now that we could speak normally.

"A lesser demon from another dimension," he said softly, sheathing his weapon, pulling the throwing knife from its body. "It was sent out here to kill the witch. One of its abilities is to fool victims by stealing someone's voice. It was most likely sent because whoever summoned it knew we would be here."

I clutched the hilt of my dagger, which was attached to my hip, tightly. "We should move."

"Not so fast," Link said, going to the door. His head poked out, looked side to side, and returned, his gaze locking onto mine. "You look for supplies – anything useful like potions and gloves – and I shall be on the look out."

"Understood," I replied, nodding, my feet sliding on the wooden boards of the floor. Quick as lightning, I darted around the shop – pushing aside bottles both empty and full, eyes scanning shelves and labels, hands feeling in the dark.

At last, I hit a treasure grove – the curtain which covered the supplies. I ignored the scent of metallic blood and didn't dare look in the corner where it came from. From the corner of my eye, it appeared to be a strange, malformed, lump, the blood stains soaking through tattered cloth and leaking onto the floor.

_Thank goodness I have on boots, _I thought as I shifted through the shelves, the floor slippery beneath my feet. I grabbed a nearby bag and completely shoved an entire shelf of health potions in. Jars of green, red and blue jelly glowed, revealing the labels _Hair, Eyes, Skin _on nearby containers. Figuring it was cosmetic, I also pushed them in.

"Did you find the gloves?" Link asked when I walked out.

I shook my head. "Hecta has to enchant them. They aren't pre-enchanted."

Link sighed, disappointed. "We will find another witch to help us in the future."

"Magic is prosecuted in the kingdom," I said between gritted teeth. "The tyrant has them all in hiding. I doubt it."

_"__If_ we will." Link smiled. "There is always time to hope. You may never know when Nayru's Love smiles down upon us. Come now," he gently placed a hand at the small of my back, leading me out the door, "let us make haste. Whoever sent that beast should surely be here now. Perhaps I should make an example out of them."

The galloping of hooves filled the night time air.

I gulped.

"They're here now," I said, my hand automatically sliding down to my dagger.

"Arrows," he muttered, watching the dark shapes grow larger in the distance. "Provide back up if you do not want to run anymore."

The way he said it was amusing, so I laughed loudly – something between a snort and a chuckle. "You're really funny when you speak in such a posh accent," I said to him, patting a hand heartily on his shoulder.

Link nodded grimly. He returned to his dismal state all too soon. I followed his line of sight and saw a group of women warriors, their hardly-concealed coppery skin metallic in the moonlight, their red hair glistening and waving with the winds, their ornate spears of desert snakes and the tyrant's symbol pointed forward – directly at us.

"How do we get close to them with such ranged weapons?" I hissed, my heart rate already increasing from a heavy dosage of adrenaline.

Link remained calm. "Use the arrows. I'll take care of the rest."

I retrieved the bow from my back, the quiver of arrows resting by my hip. The belt I wore was full of weapons – daggers, throwing knives, a long sword, two full quivers – and I took a knife, holding it concealed beneath my long sleeves – ensuring that it wouldn't reflect the moonlight – and breathed slowly, calming my shortened breaths and rapidly beating pulse.

I watched the movements of the horse – up and down – which propelled the movement of my target. The poor woman was oblivious, her ferocious glare focused only on Link – who had moved forward and at the centre, his hands shooting up in the air as if he were surrendering (I hadn't a clue why at the time). I ignored him, disallowing him to confuse me, as I watched the woman draw closer.

Just as her lips parted for a battle cry, I flicked my wrist, the dagger cutting smoothly into the air before impaling her straight in the mouth.

The horse panicked as it felt its owner fall off, causing the other horses to widen their eyes and disobey the commands of their masters.

Link flashed an appreciative look at me, his eyebrows shooting up in awe since it was a beautifully arced throw, before turning around to face our opponents, his two swords unsheathed, and ran off to them as fast as raging winds.

Not a moment to lose, I drew my bow from my back, nocked an arrow, pulled and flew loose a devastating _twang_, watching as the arrow impaled another woman in the arm. She cried out, and that's when all the other warriors jumped off their horses – who were still frightened – and pulled out long, curved swords, malicious intent in their movements as they swirled them around expertly in their hands.

Link jumped into the centre without hesitation, weaving in and out of their jabs and slices. He was fast; they were just as quick. Worry consumed me as I saw him dodge a fatal blow by a mere inch, his arm taking the hit instead of his heart. He threw out a cry, and that was when the crowd of women surged in on him.

Five arrows hit five of them in the back before they could harm him – only seven women were left. I let out a satisfied smile, glorifying the perfect I aim had, before reloading more arrows and aiming.

Three women snapped their gaze at me, their golden eyes cruel in the moonlight as they glowed ethereally. Link was busy fighting the other five, struggling because they were quicker than he was, and Link was very fast himself – one of his strengths in swordplay.

I could handle these three women with their curved swords and zero armour, I thought at the time. I was so wrong. These women were part of Ganondorf's special forces – a select group of Gerudo women who were trained to be deadly killers at a very young age. He had sent the rookies, thinking that this mission of halting and seizing two troublesome teenagers would be easy for them and gain tremendous experience. Except, he had underestimated the true ruler of the realm, thinking me to be a simple country girl. And he hadn't gotten word of Link's devotion to me or his giftedness of the sword.

So what happened next was a victory by Link and I, a victory that was bent upon sheer luck of observation. Although these women were considered the worst of their group, they were skilled. Their one flaw was reliance on their weapons, and I fortunately soon took note of it.

Just as they neared close, I withdrew my bow and retrieved my long sword. Impa had taught me a few tricks herself. A brilliant, ruthless, perfectionist, she had taught me techniques to the point of mastery. Although these women kept dodging, taking turns to ensure that they wouldn't injure one another, I faked a couple of blows until I eventually caught one off guard. She dodged to the right, and in my anticipation of her tried and true habit of preferring her right side to dodge, my sword flung hers away. Armless, she had nothing to do but scramble after it. In a blink of an eye, I flung a throwing knife to her throat, a scarlet ribbon streaking across her coppery skin, the dark blood dripping down into the soils of the earth.

Angered by one of their sister's deaths, the two others flanked me side by side, ensnaring me in a trap. This was when I almost died – a dagger to the neck, hands grasping my own. The woman behind me was stronger than I was, and I squirmed in her grip.

The girl before me – no older than I – grinned wickedly as she snatched the dagger from my belt. Triumphant sparkled in her eyes.

"The little mouse is caught between two cats. No chance to escape this time, pretty girl." And, exactly like a cat, she stalked back and forth, playing with her food, her dagger digging into the surface of my skin, sliding back and forth. Warm blood trickled down my throat. I dared not gulp or swallow, for if I did, the movement would surely slice my throat open against the dagger's pressure.

"Call lover boy over, won't you?" she cooed.

"Alaru," the woman behind me spoke quietly, her voice stern.

Alaru's golden eyes flickered over my head, apologetic. She remained silent as we waited for Link.

Blood oozing from his arm, he walked over, leaving behind a bloody mass of bodies. Two swords drenched in crimson sat snugly in his hands. Something like fury danced within the blue fire of his eyes.

He halted before us. "Release her," he said.

"Awww, the poor wittle boy doesn't know what to do!" Alaru said with glee.

My eyes caught a hold of Link's. His gaze transfixed on the woman behind me, then back to me.

I knew exactly what to do. Now I had to wait for the correct moment.

Link took a step closer.

"One step closer and this mouse is vulture meat!" Alaru barked, her hand wagging back and forth.

He stopped just as she said it.

"Why don't we all just take a breather?" he asked softly, eyes downcast, his curtain of golden hair gently brushing against his brows.

I cast my gaze onto Alaru, who stiffened at his movements, a bright red tinge to her cheeks. The pressure against my throat softened, pulled away by a few centimetres.

"A breather? I'm breathless at your presence," she said, giggling.

"Why, thank you," Link responded.

What happened next was all too quick to fathom for either Alaru or her accomplice. I rolled my eyes at her flirting before I rammed my head back with all the force I had in the world. Two skulls clunked together – a yell of pain emitting from the woman behind me as her handhold loosened.

However, I was too dizzy after hitting her with my head, my ears ringing, my vision spotted with colourful stars. I struggled for anything at all on my belt – whether it be a pointed arrowhead, a thin throwing knife, a long sword – anything that could maim.

Luckily, Link saw what had happened and sliced Alaru across her bared belly before she could turn around and see what I had done to her accomplice.

An arrowhead pierced her throat, the blood squirting out like a fountain at the wound and at her mouth, as she gurgled in bloody agony.

The two women fell to the floor, writhing in pain, screaming silent screams, as their eyes glazed over in agony.

"Let's get out of here," I whispered.

Link hauled the abandoned bag of potions near the foot of the steps.

"As you wish," he said, eyes downcast.

.

Link found a small, abandoned cave by a bubbling stream. He hooked the horse up against a tree near the stream for easy access of drinking water and fed her a couple of oats Impa packed. I hunted a few rabbits to eat and found a bush of wild blueberries.

"You know Impa packed us some food," he said to me when I returned.

I sat next to him, admiring the orange light which flickered against him. "I know. But I think we should save that for emergencies."

He nodded his head. "Good thinking," he said, and I couldn't help but smile widely at his rare compliment.

"Thanks."

He sat for a moment, head hung low between his hands as the greasy juice of rabbit meat floated in the air with the burning logs.

"After this, we should get some rest."

"Of course," I said, twisting the stick the rabbits hung on to roast a different side. My stomach growled. "What a tiring day."

His gaze lingered on my throat for a moment, and my breathing stopped as he looked on.

"Are you hurt?" he inquired.

"No, it's just a shallow cut. You should probably get that checked out," I nodded towards him, "your arm's been bleeding ever since we left Hecta's."

Without another word, Link tore off a piece of his sleeve.

"What are you doing?" I exclaimed, standing up. "You have to treat it first to make sure it isn't infected. And you do know Impa packed a set of bandages and other medical supplies, don't you? _And _we have potions and magic and…"

Link chuckled.

"What's so funny?" I barked.

"We should save those for emergencies. Besides, it's just a little cut. I'll be fine."

"Oh," I said, the anger deflating within me. I sat down with a huff. "I'm just worried about the blood and all…"

"It's not like they poison their blades or anything," Link said to me with a smile, his one hand struggling to wrap the torn cloth around his bicep. "Only the marsh dwellers do that, with their frog's poison and darts."

"How do you know so much about Hyrule?" I inquired, heading to him.

Link's eyes hardened, and I swore he flinched. "History books," he said blandly. He sucked in a breath as I wrapped the cloth around him tightly, pushing up the rest of his sleeve to expose the wounded flesh.

"You have to take your shirt off," I said to him. "Your bicep is too fat so the sleeve won't budge."

He laughed, eyes sparkling in affection. I looked away, the heat rushing to my head.

"I prefer to call it more muscular than fat," he said to me, smiling. "But I suppose my shirt sleeve is too tight for my very fat arms."

I averted my gaze as he took of his long-sleeved shirt and the shirt underneath it, honed in only on the sliced flesh which wasn't just a 'little cut' but an angry red wound.

"Let me get some salve," I mumbled, flustered as my hands felt the warm skin, bare, hardened and exposed against my palms. From the corner of my eye, I saw his body – the chest like a sculpture's, muscles toughened by years of training.

The mixture's texture was smooth, cool and thick as I wiped some on the wound. Hastily, I tied the cloth around it, tossed him his shirt, and retreated back to the other side of the fire, fearing that my hot cheeks would betray me.

"That was quick," he said, amused. "By the way, we should eat now. The rabbits smell delicious."

I only nodded, wordless, as I retrieved the rabbits, ignoring the pain which seared at my fingertips, and placed them onto wooden plates. I offered one to him, and he murmured a "Thank you."

"Yeah. You're welcome," I mumbled.

"If it is not too much right now… I would like to get to know you a little better…" he said quietly, always blunt and to the point, but his bluntness wasn't offensive because, within his tones, it disguised between the soft-spoken, smooth, polite words.

"Hm. Yeah. Sure," I said, my cheeks still flaming red. I hoped he thought the fire made me flushed and not my own personal fancy to him.

"What was it like growing up in an inn?"

"Tremendously boring," I said to him, biting a large piece of rabbit. Although it had no salt or spices to it, it was still good with its greasy juices. "Would you really enjoy me talking about how I cleaned the beds, cooked the food, and skinned the meats?" I continued after I swallowed. I still knew my manners.

"So you were busy all the time with a good work ethic," he said, and I jolted back in shock, surprised at his deduction of such small information.

"You're completely accurate," I said, bemused.

He grinned, chewing methodically.

The rabbit in my hands was already gone.

"Are you chewing slowly because you want to talk to me more and prolong this brief moment even though we should catch up on our sleep?"

He nodded. "You know me too well, Your Highness."

"I'm not a Highness yet."

"Don't worry. I'll assure that you will. Even with my last breaths, I know I did something to put you back on your rightful throne."

"I do wonder why you're so passionate," I replied, smiling at his clearly dedicated devotion to me.

"I think everyone is. Ganondorf is a tyrant. He rules on terror and fear. If a small force opposes him, the people will rise up. And that small force begins with us."

"Where will we find these people?"

"Oh," he sighed, thinking for a moment. "They're here and there. You'll be surprised. They know that the little princess survived because they never found a body. Word got out. Ganondorf found the servant who spread the word, slaughtered him after he tortured him – _right _in the middle of the town square. Burned him. Half-alive, they chopped off each and every one of his digits – "

"That poor man," I said, appalled. I wiped my hands on my trousers. "Well, I better wash these greasy fingers. I'll get the blankets."

When I returned, Link was whittling a piece of wood. I peered over his shoulder and saw a girl who looked similar to me, her hair in a simple hairstyle of braids, motioning to a very large bird with affection. Laughter spoke in her eyes and in her smile.

"Who's that?" I asked.

Link flinched at my voice, scrambled to get up. He was lost, confusion and sadness settling in his eyes, as he gazed down at me, the little piece of wood and knife falling from his hands.

"Oh… was that that girl whom you spoke of…? The one I remind you of?" I said, flabbergasted. The words blurted out of me because I had no idea how to react to his strange behaviour. He was a composed man, wise, compassionate, calm, aloof, quiet and humble. To see him fidgety was like seeing magic in Hyrule. _Very _rare.

He gasped. "Oh, yes. Yes," he said, at a loss for words. He rubbed the back of his neck as a red flush crept upon his neck. "She was my first love."

"Oh, uh…" I started. "What's with that bird she's laughing at?"

He chuckled. "She's singing to him." He retrieved his dropped items as he sat back onto the ground. "It's an ancient bird. Extinct now."

I set the blankets up, placed a pillow on each of the ends, both close together so I could speak to him. I settled in, wrapping the blankets around me. "They're from two different eras. I don't know why you're mixing them up."

"An artist's choice of style," he said, smiling down at the girl. The affection and love in his eyes transfixed to mine, and I did everything to prevent myself from gasping – this strange adoration he had for me was exactly like he had for this girl.

"So, um," I started, not quite sure how to put this into words. "Was she a sister of mine or something?" I hoped he didn't hear the implying tone which screamed 'Do you like me?!' in my voice.

"That's silly," he said, putting away his wooden block of a smiling girl and bird. "You are an only child, the sole heiress to the throne and to Hyrule, the chosen child of the goddesses to rule Hyrule, Nayru's champion – "

I whistled. "That's a lot of titles."

"A noble must memorize many titles or he will offend the other nobles."

"As a queen, the first thing to go are the titles."

"It is to show off to your rivals' power."

"Then I will have to show them the door… or the edge of my sword," I said, grinning wickedly.

Link laughed. "Go to sleep, Zelda. Happy now? I didn't include any of your titles, Your High – " he stopped himself with a hand to his lips, " – oops. A long habit of mine."

"As they say, old habits die hard." I sighed, rolling onto my back, gazing at the cave's ceiling.

"We're close to the Forest Temple," he told me.

"I hadn't realized. I'm sorry I didn't look at the map – "

"It's all right, Zel."

"Zel?"

"I think I shall call you that from now on."

"Oh, and shall I call you Lin?"

He sighed. "Lin? Really? My name's already short enough."

"Okay, enough with the talk. Let's get back down to business." I couldn't help but grin at Link's silliness. Mr Serious could be so silly and fun and humorous at times. That is, if you didn't catch him brooding over some small matter.

"Yes, so the Forest Temple is actually just ten minutes off on horse back – "

"Have you been there before? What makes you so sure of it?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Intuition, I suppose."

"Good. Let's just get to sleep, get that weapon which only you can wield, and then be on our way to a secret location to turn into overpowered beings." I memorized what Impa said earlier. Who plans almost always followed through. Unless it was simple… like this one.

"Well… the goddesses ensured we'd be just as powerful as Ganondorf," Link countered. "Don't worry. They will watch over us. Now, let us sleep."

"Good. I didn't think you'd stop talking."

Link laughed again, and I grinned, happy to make him giggle so much. I knew something bad had happened a few nights ago, when we found him bloodied, but I didn't want to ask him about it, inflict another wound on top of a barely-healed one. So, I was content on making him smile, but I wasn't about to let my raging curiosity ruin our moment together.


End file.
